AMNESTY International Nigeria on Thursday condemned the killing of unarmed youths in Enugu State by the Nigerian security agents when they clashed with the members of the Indigenous People of Biafra on Sunday.

Amnesty in its Tweeter Handle, @AmnestyNigeria, tweeted “Nigeria: On the violence at Emene Enugu #IPOB,” called for an independent investigation to ascertain what led to the killings.

The Tweet read, “Amnesty International condemns the violent clash in Emene, Enugu State, on Sunday and calls for an immediate, independent and impartial investigation into the incident that led to loss of lives.”

‘De-proscribe IPOB’

However, a league of Igbo Youth Lawyers has urged the Federal Government to de-proscribe the Indigenous People of Biafra to reduce aagitations from the group.

It also urged the FG to stop applying force in tackling issues of IPOB and other similar groups, stating it would rather increase agitations for secession.

Leader of the group, Stanley Okafor, stated these at a town hall meeting in Awka, Anambra State on Thursday.

His address read in part, “We call on the government to review all actions in the last four years which have placed confrontation above dialogue as means of resolving national difficulties.

 “There is no tribe with greater nationality spirit in Nigeria than the Igbo. They love Nigeria. Even Nnamdi Kanu cannot in anywhere say he doesn’t want to belong to Nigeria. These young ones have their reservations on the Nigerian project.”

Ohanaeze vows to probe killings

Meanwhile, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Thursday vowed to investigate the killing.

Ohanaeze President General, Chief Nnia Nwodo, disclosed this in statement after a meeting with Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.

Nwodo in the statement issued through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Chief Emeka Attamah, titled, ‘A Special Ohanaeze Ndigbo Release’, said “Ohanaeze is determined to get to the root cause of this unfortunate event.”

The statement read, “Ohanaeze is saddened by the grave fatalities occasioned by this development and is determined to get to the root cause of this unfortunate event. We mourn the sad loss of all our children and other Nigerians whose lives were wasted by this sad development.”

Ugwuanyi to meet security agencies

In a related development, the Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, would meet with security agencies on September 1, 2020, to discuss ways to avert a repeat of the August 23 clash between civilians and security agencies in the state.

Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Simon Ortuanya, disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen in Enugu on Wednesday.

Ortuanya said the meeting would hold at the Enugu State Government House.