Southern Nigerians living in the United Kingdom have
condemned the deployment of Nigerian soldiers in South-east region of the
country, describing the deployment as unconstitutional.
The group which is a coalition of various South-east,
South-west, and South-south groups and professionals in the United Kingdom
lampooned the federal government, urging it to refrain from the ‘reprehensive
act’ because the country is not at war.
The group in a statement signed by Felix Adejumo,
Tochukwu Ezeoke and Charles Omoregie, on behalf of Yoruba, Ibo an South-south
groups respectively, after an emergency meeting in London, UK, noted that it was
a waste of tax payers’ money for the Nigeria army to be engaging in the duties
of the Nigerian police and other security agencies.
They stated that "the conditions that allows for
the deployment of soldiers in any part of the country as provided for in
Section 217 (2)(c) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution has not arisen.
”Therefore the Nigerian Army has no business getting
involved in the traditional duties of the Nigeria Police.
“We, therefore, advise the federal government to
desist from this reprehensive act as Nigeria is not at war with itself or
anyone, as the circumstances provided for deployment of the army has not
arisen.
“Using the Nigerian rmy to repel what appears to be a
legitimate agitation by the people of the South-east region demanding for a
referendum, a legitimate right of any people, is deplorable.
“This act of military deployment by the Nigerian Government
amounts to aggression in the absence of any breakdown of law and order.
"It is a waste of taxpayer’s money for the
Nigeria army to be engaging in the duties of the Nigerian police and other
security agencies.
“We call on President Muhammadu Buhari to withdraw
troops from the South-east immediately and also call on the United Nations and
other international communities to prevail on President Buhari to cease this
unwarranted attack on innocent citizens.”
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