By Oginyi Ruth
As Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination is set to start on April 9th, Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR) has urged Ebonyi government, police and relevant security agencies to beef up security in the state ahead of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, exam in the state.
The group said the move will help ensure the security of the prospective students who would be travelling for the examination especially those whose centre fall in Ikwo and Abakaliki local government area.
In a statement signed by the group’s state secretary, Mr Jerry Oyibe and made available to newsmen in Abakaliki on Monday, said that the appeal was predicated on renewed boundary hostilities in some communities that had led to loss of lives.
Oyibe, in the statement, said that it was the duty of the state government, police and other relevant security agencies to ensure that lives of candidates who are coming from different parts of the country to write the examination are protected.
The human rights group lamented that the killing of innocent citizens of the state and destruction of property on Saturday along the disputed boundary between Alike and Enyigba communities in Ikwo and Abakaliki local government areas of the state.
They called on the government, the Police and all relevant security organizations to nip the escalating violence in all parts of the state.
The statement read in parts, “Right to life is fundamental and inalianable and government all over exist to provide security and protection to lives and property.
“Considering the increasing spate of crises recently in some parts of the state and in view of the forthcoming university matriculation examination, we are urging state government and law enforcement agencies to ensure adequate security in the state.
“We wish to urge relevant authorities to ensure water tight security in all the communities where there are renewed hostilities especially in Alike and Enyigba communities in in Ikwo and Abakaliki local government areas of Ebonyi.
“We also wish to draw the attention of the state government to this lingering crisis which has led to the killings of many innocent lives and especially the recent attack that resulted in fresh on Saturday, April 6.
“As UTME begins this week, and most of the candidates will be going to these crisis communities to write their exams, there is need for proper security to ensure that nothing happens to the children who will be writing their examination in centres in these places.
“We are also calling on the State government and security agencies to do everything possible to ensure that lasting peace return to these crisis ridden communities”, Oyibe said.
