A civil society organisation, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, has warned Imo State, Hope Uzodimma against shedding blood of innocent citizens of the state over the visit of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Buhari will arrive the state on Thursday to commission some projects just as Uzodinma has declared to deal with those planning to embarrass the president.
HURIWA which blasted Uzodimma for his threats, described him as a dictator over the sealing up of banks in Owerri.
HURIWA in a statement signed by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf warned that Uzodinma will be dragged before the International Criminal Court, ICC, in The Hague Netherlands, should anything untoward happen to innocent citizens of Imo state who may stage public demonstration against the visit of Buhari.
According to the group, some sections of the Constitution give the citizens the freedom of expression and assembly.
The right group condemned threats by Uzodinma to unleash violence on the people should they attempt to assemble peacefully to protest the actions and inactions of the Buhari government.
HURIWA carpeted the governor for expecting the banks to open their banks to unforeseen circumstances and to be attacked by hoodlums having allegedly failed woefully to provide security for the residents of the state.
The rights group said “the draconian measure adopted by Uzodinma to compel people to risk their lives and open for businesses in the absence of any formidable, credible, reliable, transparent and functional security measures including preemptive, proactive and effective mechanisms enforce by the security forces to protect the lives and property of the peoples, amounts to a violation of section 33 (1) of the 1999 Constitution.”
HURIWA pointed out that the basic functions of the government are providing leadership, maintaining order, providing public services, providing national security, providing economic security, and providing economic assistance.
