GIFT ROBERTS
Orluzurumee Youth Assembly has condemned the arrest of youths by the Nigerian Army in the twelve Local Government Areas of Orlu zone, Imo State.
In a statement signed by OYA Publicity Secretary, Ikemba Don C. Uba, the group lamented that innocent Igbo youths are being arrested and illegally persecuted by the Nigerian Army.
They youths are being arrested on the claim that they are members of the Eastern Security Network set up by the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
OYA said the army should hand the arrested youths over to the police for thorough investigation if they are members of ESN rather than persecuting them unjustly.
“We are not challenging the rationale behind this particular operation but want it to follow every ethos of the law so that innocent youths of Orlu zone are not persecuted unjustly.
“As partners in progress in the fight against insecurity, we will do everything within our powers to eradicate our zone of miscreants as security is everybody’s business.
“We urge the military to hand the suspects to the police and let the thorough investigation be carried out to unravel the mystery behind various attacks in the zone rather than arresting and prosecuting innocent civilians.
“We also urge the government at all levels to find a means of reaching out to the agitators in a bid to proffer a lasting solution to their problems, because peace remains the most effective means of societal growth.”