The Yoruba socio-political organization, Afenifere, has criticized the shoot-at-sight order by the Inspector General of Police, describing it as reckless and undemocratic.
The organization in a statement by its acting leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Thursday said the order endangers the fate of people in Southeast Nigeria who he posited seem endangered under the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
He said the situation should be a source of concern to well-meaning Nigerians.
Adebanjo said the order was targeted at protesting Igbo youths instead of embracing dialogue.
The Afenifere acting leader observed that the same fate does not apply to Buhari’s Fulani ethnic group.
Recalling the killing of some people in Benue State recently, Adebanjo said as one of the leaders of Southern and Middle Belt Forum that traveled to Makurdi on that occasion, he observed firsthand the positive identification of the killers by the Benue State Government and despite the incontrovertible identity of the killers, all Buhari had to say to the governor was: ‘Accommodate your neighbours.’
He said there was neither any arrest nor indictment.
He urged the President to run an inclusive government taking into account the multi-ethnic make-up of Nigeria.
“Take a look at the security council, no Ìgbò man is a member of Buhari’s security architecture…. Is that how to run a multi-ethnic multi-religious country like Nigeria?” he asked in the statement.
It added: “Early in the week, apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, raised fresh worries over the directive to contain the tension when it condemned the “shoot at sight” order, insisting that it clearly confirms the uneven handed way the Federal Government had been treating matters affecting the people of the zone.”
Adebanjo urged leaders in other zones to condemn the ‘shoot-at-sight order.’
