Rights group criticises the ministry of work for corruption and seeks the death sentence for offenders

Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), a civil advocacy organisation, has denounced the alleged epic, mammoth corruption in the Federal Ministry of Works that turned the majority of federal roads in the South East and South South into death traps.

The group demanded the arrest of all former ministers of works as well as contractors who failed to complete the work for which they were paid in a statement signed by Emmanuel Onwubiko, the group’s national coordinator, on Saturday.

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Additionally, it claimed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practises and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) were merely skirting the main offences of economic sabotage and corruption and were only interested in young men with laptops and expensive cars who had been acquired through advance fee frauds, as opposed to the contractors of failed roads, electricity projects, and other federal infrastructures.

HURIWA urged lawmakers to pass a bill that would punish corruption with the death penalty because poor roads had killed hundreds of thousands of people. The East-West Road, a federal highway connecting the six South-South states, was used as an example, which has turned into a nightmare for drivers, travellers, and businesspeople.

No person will travel on the East-West Road’s Benin-Sapele-Warri segment without sobbing for the Niger Delta and the nation. Even the various trucks carrying traders’ livestock from the country’s northern region that broke down on the crumbling road would complain the repulsiveness, according to HURIWA.

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The organisation bemoaned the strategic importance of the section between Benin City, the capital of Edo State, and Warri, the oil city and the hub of Delta State’s commerce, because if it were to collapse, four additional states—Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, and Cross-Rivers States—would be cut off. The scenario at hand is just that, it was added.

The group claimed that for nearly 20 years, the media has continuously highlighted the “death trap” that the dilapidated motorway has become, despite the shrieks of motorists, travellers, and other bystanders.

HURIWA recalled that in many cases, it took an epic tragedy to upend the country’s tranquilly for the authorities to realise that things did not always go as the country’s fortunate elite would have others believe from their narrow perspective.

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It highlighted how, despite the urgent pleas from monarchs, priests, drivers, commuters, and traders to the government to fix the road in recent months, a petrol tanker fell off on the dangerous road last Sunday, killing over 20 people in a subsequent blast.

The group questioned the government’s sincerity in keeping its commitments and encouraged Nigerians to hold their leaders responsible for their deeds and omissions.

HURIWA committed to keep fighting for justice, fairness, and good governance in Nigeria and urged the international community to help the South East and South South region’s residents.