By BONIFACE AKARAH

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on the Federal Government to clarify what it described as apparent inconsistencies in the treatment of non-state security formations across different parts of the country.

In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the rights group questioned reports suggesting that some regional security formations may be receiving favourable treatment while others face proscription, arrests and prosecution.

HURIWA specifically referenced public claims attributed to Yoruba Nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, popularly known as Sunday Igboho, regarding the alleged approval of a private security network, and urged the Federal Government to provide clarification on the matter.

The association argued that public perception of unequal treatment in security-related matters could deepen ethnic distrust and undermine confidence in federal institutions.

“We are compelled to ask whether Nigeria is now operating a system of selective justice and selective security approval,” Onwubiko said.

According to HURIWA, concerns have persisted over the government’s handling of security-related activities linked to different regional groups, particularly in the South-East and South-West.

The organisation noted that security operations against groups allegedly linked to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have resulted in arrests, prosecutions and the continued detention of IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, while questions have been raised over the treatment of other regional security formations.

“If some groups are criminalised on grounds of national security, Nigerians deserve to know the legal basis upon which other similar formations are allegedly tolerated or accommodated,” the statement said.

HURIWA maintained that Nigeria remains a constitutional democracy governed by the rule of law and argued that security policies must be applied uniformly across all regions and groups.

The association warned that any perception of selective application of the law could erode public trust and threaten national cohesion.

“We condemn any policy inconsistency that suggests some groups are treated as terrorists while others are viewed differently despite engaging in similar security-related activities outside formal state control,” Onwubiko stated.

The group also renewed concerns over the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, noting that the issue has generated legal, political and human rights debates both within and outside Nigeria.

HURIWA consequently called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and relevant federal authorities to provide clarification on whether any private security outfits have been officially approved outside the statutory framework governing security agencies.

The organisation further requested details of the legal basis for any such approval, the criteria used in determining the status of non-state security formations, and the government’s position on similar groups operating in different parts of the federation.

According to HURIWA, transparency on the issue would help strengthen public confidence in the country’s security architecture and reinforce the principle that all citizens are equal before the law.

The association urged the Federal Government to address the concerns in the interest of justice, accountability and national stability.

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