By Chuks Eke
The Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation, HURIDE and Campaign for Democracy, CD, South East zone have raised alarm over alleged threats to the life of Dede Uzor A. Uzor who doubles as Executive Director for HURIDE and South East Zonal Chairman of CD.
In a joint press statement issued on Tuesday in Onitsha, Anambra state, the rights groups alleged that Uzor’s life is being threatenied on a daily basis with calls and text messages by yet to be identified persons suspected to be security agents.
According to the statement, “Dede Uzor is a notable human rights activist and a security expert who has been bursting hideout of some criminal elements and handing them over to Security authorities”.
“He was a leading figure in the recent bursting of criminal elements who abducted and murdered a serving legislature in Anambra State among other many high profile criminal gangs in the State”.
In the statement signed by Vice Chairman of HURIDE, Comrade Chika Udemadu, the group. stated:: “at about 1.13pm, threat messages and calls flooded Dede Uzor’s phone. One of the messages read: I know who you are and I know what you are up to but I pity your family because you are too young to die, be warned”.
“The message came through GSM number 07083384210.
Udemadu said, adding, sometimes, they would call and start raining unprintable threats against our Executive Director and our Chairman”.
“We the human rights community in Anambra State, therefore want to call on the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, to immediately provide security around the activist before something untoward befalls him, giving the serious insecurity in and around the State”.
“We allegedly suspects some Police Officers at RRS, Awkuzu who are not comfortable with Dede Uzor ‘s glaring achievements in bursting criminal elements in the State. Some even sent him a WhatsApp message and immediately deleted same to avoid being detected” the ststement further alleged.
