By Sunday Ani
The Southern Solidarity Alliance (SSA) has blamed the killing of the 16 travelling northerners in Uromi, Edo State, on the failure of the police to collaborate with the local vigilance group to coordinate and provide effective policing.
In a statement jointly signed by the National Coordinator and the Chairman, Media Committee, Ndubuisi Okafor and Ena Ighalo, the group commiserated with the families of the slain northerners, noting that if the police were working with the vigilantes, they should have taken the suspects into custody.
The group advised those calling for war over the incident to desist, saying one form of violence would beget another.
“We will hold Northerners and their state governors responsible and accountable for any act of lawlessness and bloodletting against our people. We also advise all Southerners residing in, or visiting the North to please stay safe and take measures to safeguard their safety.
“Given the incessant attacks on Southern villagers by armed herdsmen and many cases of kidnapping of Southerners right here in Southern Nigeria, it’s the duty of the police and other enforcement arms to rise up to every occasion; the duty of the communities to protect themselves; the police and the state governments to coordinate such protection efforts by the communities by giving the vigilantes good professional orientation and all the help and encouragement they need in executing the local security functions. Where this is lacking, it follows that the police most particularly have failed in its duty,” the group stated.
The group also insisted that the police and state governments should always collaborate to coordinate internal security.