The situation in Imo has a semblance of war, the lawyers’ association says.
The <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/more-news/463746-jusun-strike-nba-optimistic-courts-will-re-open-soon.html”>Nigerian Bar Association</a>, <a target=”_blank” href=”https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imo_State”>Imo State</a> branch, has set up a help desk to collate data of persons allegedly arrested and detained unjustly by the police in the state.
The lawyers’ association disclosed this in a statement issued on Thursday in Owerri by its spokesperson, Uzor Enwere.
According to the statement, the help desk is aimed at addressing issues of wanton arrest and detention of innocent residents of Imo, with a view to ensuring their release.
Mr Enwere, a lawyer, stated that the NBA Committee on Human Rights would coordinate the desk at the Bar Centre and complaints received would be taken up with the appropriate quarters.
“Considering that the courts are not sitting, the help desk will collate the names of innocent persons unjustly arrested and detained for the purpose of securing their release.
“This approach is dictated by the precarious security situation in Imo at the moment, which has the semblance of (a) war situation.
“The outcome of our interactions reveal that there is more to the situation than meets the eye,” Mr Enwere stated.
The association spokesperson, who provided the telephone lines of the help desk, said the desk would open by 10a.m. from June 4 at the Bar Centre.
IPOB, a pro-Biafra group, which has been proscribed by the Nigerian government, has a high concentration of its members and supporters in Imo State which appears to be the epicentre of the group’s activities in the country’s South-east region.
Apart from the frequent <a target=”_blank” href=”https://www.premiumtimesng.com/regional/ssouth-east/457838-gunmen-kill-five-police-officers-abduct-one-in-imo.html”>deadly attacks on security officials</a>, there have been reports of police, including the Nigerian military, carrying out indiscriminate killings and arrests of civilians in the state.
(<a target=”_blank” href=”http://nannews.ng”>NAN</a>)