Some civil society
organisations in Bayelsa State have accused security operatives in the state of inhuman acts and extortion of money from residents.
The civil society groups were the Civil Liberties Organisarion (CLO), Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organisations Forum (BANGOF) and the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA).
Chairman of BANGOF, Robinson Kuroghobogha who read a statement signed by the groups, in a joint press conference held at NUJ press hall, Yenagoa, said that human rights violation in Bayelsa was on “a geometric increase”.
Robinson who was flanked by Nengi James, CLO chairman, Dise Ogbise-Erhisere, FIDA chairman, Alagoa Morris, former CLO secretary, among other officials, asserted that men of the armed forces and other security agencies, especially the police force, only had the mandate to provide security for citizens and not to harass and intimidate them.
He cited the recent brutal assaults on Tonye Yemoleigha, a reporter with Radio Bayelsa by an Air Force operative, and Philomena Briggs, a student, by five policemen, as instances.
“It has come to the notice of the civil society that the rate of assault, harassment, intimidation and unlawful extortion of law-abiding citizens in Yenagoa by armed security personnel has been on a geometric increase.
“Several cases of brutality by armed (security) personnel have been reported to various institutions with no tangible response from them.
“The case of Mr. Tonye Yemoleigha, a journalist with the Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation who was brutally assaulted by an Air Force personnel on the 18 May and that of Mrs. Philomena Briggs, a student, reportedly assaulted by five armed policemen are recent examples of the level of impunity of armed personnel in the state”, Robinson said.
He stated that acts of brutality on residents by the security operatives were a violation of their fundamental human rights guaranteed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999, (as amended), the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights.
“The human rights community and indeed all law-abiding citizens of Bayelsa are seriously concerned with the excessive conduct of armed security personnel.
“The protection of lives and property and ensuring the rights of law-abiding citizens are not violated are the primary functions of the police.
Fyneface Aaron, Yenagoa