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A public affairs analyst, Carl Umegboro has knocked the Nigerian Police Force over its apparent silence on the alleged threat to the Igbo people living in Lagos by some fans of the All-Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the presidential and National Assembly held on 25 February.
A certain video took over the social media space few days to the first set of election showing a supporter of the APC threatening the Igbo people in Lagos to risk their lives on the election day over the belief that majority of them alongside other people from ethnic groups had adopted Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) alongside other candidates of Labour Party contesting different positions in Lagos state for the elections.
The social advocate in a statement on Saturday in Abuja said the videos of the threats did not only echo the voice of the traitor-APC supporter but also shows his face clearly which makes it difficult for the Police not to claim ignorance of the felonious act.
Mr. Umegboro condemned the act in totality stating that nobody has a right to intimidate other citizens anywhere in the country irrespective of the ethnic locality, and therefore, summed up that it was a height of negligence for the Police to ignore such an act, thereby flouting proactive security approach.
He called on the Police to do the needful by investigating the acts as such threats against people of an ethnic group was capable to create anarchy in the society which he said had in many times led to senseless killing of persons and destruction of property after which the Police merely reacted after casualties whilst the government consoled grievers.
Umegboro added that such a criminal act to intimidate the people during elections is inconsistent with a ‘free-and-fair’ policy in elections considering that many people must have been prevented from exercising their franchise in the elections for fear of attacks from the hooligans on account of the threat.
“The Nigerian Police cannot claim that such videos in the media space with criminal contents threatening peaceful coexistence of the country did not get to its report-base, and therefore must not fold hands and watch the society turned into a banana island where ‘survival of the fittest’ reigns.
“It will amount to an impunity for someone that openly made such deadly threats against fellow citizens to be walking free in the society, hence an urgent call on the Inspector General of Police to do the needful without further delay. On the other hand, if it wasn’t truly made, the Police owes a duty to address it so as to allay fears in the society.
“The allegation must be thoroughly investigated and if truly made, the laws must take its course for deterrence, otherwise, the forthcoming governorship and House of Assembly elections may be marred by violence and severe intimidations”, Umegboro cautioned.
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