The political crisis in Rivers State took a fresh turn on Friday following a petition by the State Governor, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi, to the National Human Rights Commission over the continued abuse of human rights in the state.
Amaechi had in the petition addressed to the Director-General of the Commission and copied the Chairman, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, explained that the clampdown on human rights in the state had also affected him and the people of the state.
He also urged the NHRC to probe the wasteful, uncoordinated and duplication of security operations devoid of the synergy that was the norm before the arrival of State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.
The governor lamented that the promotion and protection of human rights through the rule of law and good governance had been made impossible in the state as a result of the erosion of the basic human rights.
The governor said, "There are on-going human rights violations in Rivers state falling within the investigative and other duties of the National Human Rights Commission.
"Abuses, which need the independent and human rights competences and capabilities of the National Human Rights Commission as ably demonstrated in your ground breaking engagement of the Baga incident and the situation in North East Nigeria bears many striking resemblance to the situation in Rivers State."
Amaechi warned that there could be grave consequences to the people of the state and the Niger Delta region in general if the declining human rights situation in the state was not addressed urgently.
Explaining that the petition was not politically motivated, the governor maintained that its objective was consistent with the constitution of the country.
He also expressed the need for the probe into the dismantling of strategic public security networks processes within the state.
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