“The spurious claim by the Nigerian police that Ejiofor was “involved in a case of abduction , assault occasioning harm and malicious damage to property “is untrue and unfounded”, says the Coalition Of South East Youth Leaders, (COSEYL).
The apex Socio-political group in the South East geo-political zone was reacting to the recent attack by the police on the home of Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, lawyer to the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
According to the group in a press statement signed by its President General, Chief Goodluck Ibem, the action by the security agents which swore to protect lives and property of the citizens is nothing but “a declaration of war against the South East zone by the Nigerian police and the Army”.
The full statement reads below…
We the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the apex Socio-political group in the South East geo-political zone condemns in strongest terms the unprovoked attack, siege, infraction, embolus, paroxysm and throe on the home of a law-abiding citizen Barr. Ifeanyi Ejiofor that led to killing of Igbo Youths, children and wanton destruction of properties of Ejiofor’s house and houses of his neighbours by the Nigerian police Force and the Nigerian Army in his country home , Oraifite in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra state.
This unprovoked siege on Barr. Ejiofor at his home is a declaration of war against the South East zone by the Nigerian police and the Army. Last October, 2019 , the Nigerian Police burnt down the houses of innocent people in Aba , Abia State and now the killed our youths and children in Ezinnifitte in Anambra state . Who knows the next South East state they are going to attack after Anambra state.
The Nigerian police has mark-out South East zone for attack and destruction. The actions of the police and the Army in Anambra state and Abia state has clearly shown that , they have declared total war against the people of South East zone. They Police who are paid with tax payers money to protect lives and properties, has now turned around to destroy the properties and lives they are paid to protect.
The spurious claim by the Nigerian police that Ejiofor was “involved in a case of abduction , assault occasioning harm and malicious damage to property ” is untrue and unfounded as nobody was mentioned as a victim of the said allegations.
If Barr. Ejiofor was found wanting or culpable on those allegations charged against him , the only option for the police according to the laws of the federal republic of Nigeria , is to arrest and prosecute him and not to shoot and kill-on-sight anyone seen around his premises and commit arson which is totally against the law.
Barr. Ejiofor has been practicing law profession for the past 22 years now and he is not known for violence or any form of criminality. The unwarranted siege at his house in his own village just 3 days after the burial of his own blood brother by the Nigerian Police Force and the Army that led to the death of over 20 persons is barbaric and wicked.
We say enough of this madness in Igboland . The plot to throw Igboland into anarchy must stop forthwith . Those persons who orchestrated this wicked plans and its execution must be arrested and prosecuted.
Ejiofor has never disobeyed court orders or disregarded police invitation , why will the police and Army burn down his house and kill anyone found around his premises.
To burn down the house of a lawyer is to destroy all his life time work, very important books and documents, his academic credentials, pertinent research works , case files and evidence and other valuable documents. Only a misfit that has not seen the four walls of a primary school will have the effrontery to set the house of a legal luminary on fire.
The unprovoked attack on Ejiofor is an attack on all Nigerian lawyers. It is a deliberate ploy to harass and intimidate lawyers . But their plans is dead-on-arrival.
We call for a proper investigation and a judicial inquiry into the unprovoked attack on Ejiofor who is a law-abiding citizen of the country.
We therefore call on the European Union (EU) , the United Nations (UN), International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) and other international and domestic Human Rights groups to look into the siege on Ejiofor’s house.
