Security operatives have shot dead some South-East residents while carrying out mass raids and arrests after which they allegedly labelled them as gunmen terrorising the region.
Photographs of two of the victims living in Umuahia, Abia State, whom residents confirmed not to be unknown gunmen as the police and the army labelled them were obtained by SaharaReporters.
The first victim was identified as Obinna Ejekwu, 30 years old, and Onyebuchi Amadi, 27 years old.
According to SaharaReporters, security operatives killed both men on May 29, and after that, labelled them as Eastern Security Network members.
“Rather than using intelligence-based crime detection and investigation to go after criminal elements, the Nigerian security forces are going about letting loose on unarmed and defenceless Igbo citizens, hatefully targeting and killing them and labelling them as terrorists,” the source, who released the photographs to lamented.
Another source had revealed that “The army and police have a certain NHSS Tactical Squad – whatever that means – which has been arresting the South-East residents, mainly youths, and locking them up in these discreet military underground camps.
“They are labelled as members of the Indigenous People of Biafra members and Eastern Security Network members and denied access to family members and lawyers. I know at least three military detention underground cells, and the squad, at will, kills some of the detainees, arrange rifles for them and say they died during the gun battle,” one of the sources had revealed to SaharaReporters.
“It was the same NHSS tactical squad which invaded the residence of IPOB lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor last Sunday, and shot dead one of his aides, while three personal workers were taken away. They burnt the car and corpse, leaving no trace. If he was not a popular lawyer, who would report that incident? That is the pattern they adopt in the South-East – abduct, kill and burn corpses.”