HURIWA condemns killing of Enugu youth, demands urgent probe
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the brutal killing of a young man, Onyedika Chukwu Ede, from Obeagu Awkunanaw community in Enugu South Local Government Area, describing the incident as a grave assault on human dignity and the sanctity of life.
Ede was reportedly attacked and killed on Friday by armed assailants while working with other villagers on a community project site in Ndinwuba village.
Eyewitnesses alleged that the attackers, some of whom were accompanied by armed security operatives, stormed the site without provocation, unleashing violence on unarmed residents.
The victim was said to have been stabbed in the abdomen and died before he could receive medical attention.
In a statement issued on Sunday by Emmanuel Onwubiko, its National Coordinator, HURIWA described the killing as “barbaric, inhuman, and a direct assault on the peace-loving people of Enugu State.”
The rights group expressed concern that the incident occurred in broad daylight and in the presence of witnesses, yet the perpetrators managed to escape without arrest.
HURIWA called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to launch a full-scale investigation into the attack, identify those responsible, and bring them to justice.
The group warned that failure to act swiftly would erode public confidence in Nigeria’s security institutions and embolden perpetrators of extrajudicial killings.
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“The Enugu State Government has a constitutional duty to protect citizens from unlawful termination of their lives. This is one extrajudicial execution too many in the same community,” the statement read.
HURIWA further urged the state government to take decisive measures to prevent further bloodshed, emphasising the need for peaceful and lawful resolution of land or communal disputes.
It also condoled with the bereaved family and the entire Obeagu Awkunanaw community, pledging continued support for victims of injustice.
“This tragic killing is a clear affront to humanity and justice. Security agencies must treat this as a test case of their commitment to protecting ordinary Nigerians. No individual or group should be allowed to shed innocent blood without facing the full weight of the law”, Onwubiko stated.
