Arewa group urges respect for human rights in Niger Delta

A group,  Arewa Youth Alliance for Progress and  Development (AYAPD), has urged respect for human rights in Niger Delta region.

AYAPD made the call after receiving reports of private security organisation arresting and detaining locals.

The convener of the group, Umar Babayaro, who stated this in a statement yesterday said there were several complaints recently on alleged human rights violations and abuse in the Niger Delta region by private security services.

It said reports indicated that these violations are coming in the form of unlawful detentions and arrests by the organisation contracted by the government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to secure pipelines in that region.

Speaking on the alleged cases of human rights abuses, the convener said: “prominent are cases of Moses Richard from Shekri, Peter and Boma Samuel who are all victims of these human rights infringements. According to videos trending on social media, these youths were taken, beaten, and detained for several weeks.

“Others, names, Jolomi Abechukwu from Tisin Community who according to him was arrested alongside his friend Bade and taken into captivity in Oporoza where the alleged camp and illegal detention facilities of the security organisation are located. They were arrested on the 2nd of December, 2024 and released in January, 2025.”

The group, which made the call at a press conference yesterday, said  “consequent upon the above, we hereby call on all requisite government and non-government organs, including international organisations, to look into these issues before they degenerate into something else.”

While reading the text of the conference, Babayaro stated thus; “We seek these reliefs hence: A thorough investigation into the activities of the all private security services  be carried out as it relates to administration criminal justice and protection of human rights.

““Victims arrested by Tantita Security Services are allegedly held in detention without being charged in a court of law, as prescribed by the constitution.

AYAPD further said, “as law-abiding youths of Nigeria, we do not want to believe that the pipeline surveillance contract, gives impetus to the security company to arrogate arrest and detention. These powers are reserved only for the security agencies of Nigeria.”