Afenifere, the Apex Yoruba socio-political organisation, has described the shoot-at-sight order given by the acting Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to police operatives in the South East as reckless and undemocratic.
Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the acting National leader of the organization in a statement on Thursday noted that the order endangers the fate of people in the Southeast, who he posited seem endangered under President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
Baba, while speaking on the sideline while addressing the Police Mobile Force and Special Tactical Squad of the Force in Enugu after launching Operation Restore Peace, directed police officers in the region not to adhere to the rules of engagement while dealing with Biafra secessionist groups, Punch reports.
He added that his job was to protect them.
“Don’t mind the media shout; do the job I command you. If anyone accuses you of human rights violation, the report will come to my table and you know what I will do. So, take the battle to them wherever they are and kill them all. Don’t wait for an order.
“What another order are you waiting for when Mr President had ordered you to shoot anybody carrying an AK-47 rifle? Quote me, even a dead policeman can be tried and dismissed from the force and his family will not get his benefits.
“So, don’t sit and wait for them to come; take the attack to them and don’t lose your arms to criminals,” the acting IGP said.
But Adebanjo explained that the situation should be a source of concern to well-meaning Nigerians, 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.
He said: “Whereas Buhari allows his Fulani people to roam freely, killing, maiming, raping while protecting and prevaricating to the Fulani herders without a restraining order, the Igbo youths, he orders his mainly northern military to kill on sight.”
Adebanjo said as one of the leaders of the Southern and Middle Belt Forum, he observed the killing of some people in Benue State recently.
The Afenifere leader noted that he observed first-hand the positive identification of the killers by the Benue State Government, adding that despite the incontrovertible identity of the killers, President Buhari asked Governor Samuel Ortom to accommodate the Fulani herdsmen.
