Abia Governor warns Army not to maltreat residents

The Governor of Abia state, Okezie Ikpeazu has warned the Army not to maltreat residents.

According to Daily Post, the Governor also said that the state will no longer accept any form of inhumane treatment.

Ikpeazu, who said that his administration is ready to help the soldiers achieve their aim, added that the people of Abia are law abiding.

He said “While the state government has always indicated its preparedness to cooperate with all security agencies in their lawful operations within the state, we shall not condone a situation where the presence of the Army in the state becomes a platform to (trample on) the human rights of our people and subject them to inhumane and degrading treatments without any lawful excuse.

“The Government of Abia State shall no longer condone this unwarranted assault on the people of the state. Our people, as law-abiding citizens, deserve their basic freedom and fundamental rights to life, personal liberty and dignity of the human person.

“These rights are guaranteed under the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the same law from which the Army derives its authority. These rights can only be tampered with in accordance with laid-down legal procedures and not according to the caprices of individual Army officers.”

The Army recently launched an exercise code named: Operation Python Dance in the South-East, to address various security issues, reports say.