Senate Minority leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has warned security agencies to stop arresting innocent Igbo youths and tagging them as criminals causing havoc in the South-East.
The Abia North senator also condemned the approach of the Federal Government to resolve attacks and insecurity in the region, saying instead of security agencies going after the real criminals, they resort to arresting those who go about their legitimate businesses.
Abaribe who spoke as a guest on Arise TV on Thursday, stated that it was sad that anytime there was an attack on public institutions, the security agencies would go round communities arresting innocent youths.
He advised that there is a need for security agencies to conduct an in-depth investigation, bring and try criminals involved in the acts in court.
“Civil engagement dictates that you investigate, apprehend and prosecute,’ the Senator said.
“We are happy that Nigerians are seeing that what is here is not an Igbo problem, but a criminal syndicate going around all parts of the county and the government needs to unravel this.
“If a criminal burns a police station, you do nothing and then go and arrest every villager that you see on the street; which is what is currently happening in the south-east, then you are not resolving the issue.
“What you’re letting everybody know is that it is us versus them, which is not a good way of building unity in the country.
“We have directed the Inspector-General of Police and other security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation not to just round up youths that you see, conduct extra-judicial killings and say you’ve resolved the issue.
“Suppose these attacks being done in quick succession in Igboland are meant to scuttle the proposal for an Igbo presidency, I hope you can also look at it from that perspective.
“All we are saying is, try to conduct a thorough investigation, then we’ll know who is doing this, who their sponsors are and why they are doing it,” he added.