Rights group takes Buhari to UN over alleged despotism

An Onitsha based rights group under the aegis: International Society for Civil Liberties  and the Rule of Law  has  dragged President Muhammadu Buhari to the United Nations over what it termed the president's despotism.

 Also taken to the world body is the All Progressives Congress.

 In its petition signed by the Board of Trustees Chairman, Comrade Emeka Umeagbalasi , entitled : "The full return of dictatorial and militarist democracy under retired General Muhammadu Buhari" , the group said it was important for the UN  to focus its searchlight on Nigeria now.

 It said ‘We had since the declaration of Retired Gen Muhammadu Buhari and his APC as the winners of the March 28 presidential election issued a number of  public statements warning on catastrophic dangers inherent in infesting the Federation of Nigeria with governance styles reminiscent of the Buhari and Abacha’s military inglorious epochs, which haunted and terrified the country from 1984 to 1985 and 1993 to 1998.

 Adding , it said “The above  position of ours stems from our observation that Retired Gen Muhammadu Buhari is still indoctrinated in military subculture and has not undergone any known leadership training programme to acquaint himself with modern democratic, human rights and constitutional governance norms.

"We had further observed that the President and his party have failed to showcase their constitutional democratic governance credentials including capacities to respect and uphold human rights and fundamental freedoms and govern strictly according to the dictates of the rule of law and the provisions of the 1999 Constitution.

‘ Buhari and his APC were also found lacking in statesmanship, which is fundamentally needed to heal and bind all segments of the country’s ethnic nationalities, wounded and scattered by age-

 It noted that‘ The DSS has now taken over the statutory law enforcement functions of the Nigeria Police Force leading invasions, arrests and detentions and court arraignments rested on unsubstantiated criminal investigation reports.

‘As a matter of fact, the DSS has since the inception of the Buhari administration unlawfully invaded various private homes and offices and made spurious criminal allegations against people.

 "Trumped up allegations have also been designed and used by the DSS to cause unlawful arrests and detentions of statutorily appointed senior electoral officers.

 It maintained that ‘by invading the Government House of Akwa Ibom State and confiscating useful items from the spot, the gubernatorial immunities of the State Governor and the Deputy Governor have been grossly and brutally violated.

‘The Nigeria Police Force, on its part, has also returned to policing brigandage including mass arrests, indiscriminate mounting of roadblocks and extortion of innocent citizens.

 "The ongoing indiscriminate arrest of members of MASSOB and IPOB across the country is a clear case in point.

‘We call on the international community particularly the United Nations to beam its searchlight in the direction of the Buhari administration and cause him to do the right things.

Tony Okafor