A member of the House of Representatives, representing Abor/Mbaise and Ngor/Okpala Federal Constituency of Imo State, Bede Eke has condemned alleged extrajudicial killings of his people by security operatives.
Eke at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, said the killings followed last Sunday’s murder of a chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Ahmed Gulak in Owerri while on his way to Sam Mbakwe Airport.
The lawmaker gave the names of some of his constituents allegedly killed by security agents as Noel Nzeribe and Tochi Ekwe while several other persons are currently missing.
He lamented that many people in his Constituency have been driven to the bushes while others fled to where they have spent days without their families.
Eke also condemded Gulak’s murder and appealed to the security agencies to exercise restraints and stop killing innocent people, emphasising that the cries of his constituents have reached a point where intervention is necessary in their current ordeal in the hands of security operatives.
He called on the Police and the Army to carry out discreet investigations to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice rather than mass intimidation and unprovoked killing of his constituents.
“We lost a young man. Until his death, he owned and operated a Shawarma shop just to make ends meet. He was shot by the army because he could not allegedly obey the rules at the checkpoint.
“The family has written a petition to the Army. We as the people of Ngor Okpala/Mbaise are not happy about it and as the representative of the people; I want to make it known to the world that we are waiting for the outcome of the petition.
“As the representative of the people, I am giving the Army 14 days to respond to the killing of that young man who left a pregnant wife and his two children. One is 3 and the other is 2 years old.”
Eke further said: “I have photos and videos of people being killed. Our people can no longer sleep in their houses. My constituents called me to speak for the world to hold the security agents responsible if my people are killed. There is nothing wrong with arresting people; there is nothing wrong with investigation; there is nothing wrong in unravelling the killers and sponsors of these heinous crimes. But the issue is that, let the innocent people be free; it is enshrined in the Constitution – freedom of movement”.
While calling on the security agents to trace Gulak’s killers in Owerri where he was and not his Constituency, Eke said: “Gulak left Owerri. If you want to arrest my people, the meaning is that you have to start that arrest from the hotel in Owerri where he left.
“I can no longer keep quiet. These people elected me to speak for them. Please, I beg the security agents; I beg the authorities to please allow my people live in peace.
“If you have arrested and killed some people (who killed Gulak) as a result of this crime, why are you still haunting my constituents? Why are these people (constituents) not allowed to stay in their houses?” he queried.
