COVID-19: Stop Lockdown To Avoid Fighting Constituted Authority, Group Tells Ikpeazu
…Laments Brutal Killing Of Abians

Following the incessant brutal killing of innocent Abians since the commencement of the lockdown order, Coalition of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL) has vowed to leave no stone unturned in the investigation of the various happy-trigger

security agents for turning the light of many homes and families into night.

The group, in their embittered state, urged the Abia state government, led by Dr. Okezie Victor Ikpeazu to urgently retract the order restricting movements in the state, lamenting that the state has no single case of Coronavirus yet there has been ruthless killing of innocent person by some happy-trigger security operatives, in a bid to enforce the Lockdown order.

In a release signed by the President- general and Secretary-General, Hon. Goodluck Ibem and Cmrd. Kanice Igwe, respectively, the group regretted that the lockdown had brought more misery to different families in the state, arguing that Abia still is devoid of the pandemic, as they urged the State Governor to “stop the lockdown to avoid a situation were people will start fighting constituted authorities.”

The release read in full…

COVID-19: KILLING OF TWO KEKE DRIVERS AND OKADA MAN BY THE POLICE IN ABA, BARBARIC…

We are saddened to receive another sad news of the killing of 2 keke men and an Okada man today being Friday 17th day of April, 2020 by the police at Aba – Port Express way by uratta junction in Aba. This is totally unacceptable and we demand for justice for the late keke man.

Since the past 2 weeks Abia state implemented the lockdown order due to Covid – 19 pandemic, no death has been recorded from the disease nor anyone tested positive for coronavirus but the security agencies have sent 5 persons to their early grave in their bid to enforce the directives of the lockdown by the government.

No known law anywhere in world empowers anyone to take the life of another man . The persons in question who lost their lives had no gun, matchet, dangerous weapons neither did they attack the security agents but they were brutally killed for no just cause.

We will not accept a situation where the matter will be treated with lavity or the transfer of the suspect to a far northern state for the matter to calm down. There must be a transparent and open prosecution of the suspects. Murder is murder anywhere is the world. Nobody is above the law. That a police, Civil Defence officer or Army officer is given a gun to enforce the law does not empower him or her to kill anyone at will.

We will follow this matter of extra-judicial killing by security agencies in Abia State and other South East States to a logical conclusion. No stone must be left unturned in the investigation of those happy-trigger
security agents who has thrown many homes and families into mourning.

We call for an immediate stop of the killing of Igbo youths by security agents in the South East zone. We in the South East are peaceful people and it should not and never be taken for granted.

Where brutality is needed is in borno state and some other northern states were boko Haram and armed bandits have killed and sacked many villages and communities. If this rogue security agents believe they are very good at shooting guns, why did they not apply to serve in borno state?

There is so much hunger and suffering in the land and the people have reached their elastic limit.