INVESTIGATION OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL KILLINGS OF BIAFRANS: ANOTHER COVER-UP BY NIGERIA

CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF LT. GEN TUKUR BURATAI (MIDDLE) AND OTHERS

The claim by the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai in Enugu, that the Nigerian Army is investigating the killings of peaceful Pro-Biafra protesters in Aba, Abia state as reported by national dailies, is another charade that would be discarded at the end of the day without positively acting on it.
If the Army under Lt. Gen Buratai are a little bit sincere with themselves, they would have commenced investigation a long time ago since the ugly incident on Monday, 9th February, 2016.

We view this as another ruse to cover or sweep under the carpet, numerous and uncountable extra-judicial killings of Biafrans by the Nigerian Armed Forces.
According to the report, it was said that about 10 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra were killed when members of the Nigerian Armed Forces invaded National High School and opened fire at Biafrans whom had converged to pray for the release Nnamdi Kanu, when in actual sense, more than 20 persons was reported then to have lost their lives in the process.

Related article:NIGERIAN ARMY INVESTIGATES EXTRA JUDICIAL KILLING OF BIAFRA ACTIVIST
Recall also that a Human Rights body, discovered 13 corpses of murdered Pro-Biafra activists buried in a burrow pit in Aba with their hands tied together using pieces of the Biafran flags and their bodies, embalmed with chemical substance to prevent the inhalation of pungent odor from their decomposing bodies.
Also, a number of persons who had sustained various degrees of injuries from the lethal gun shot were reported to have died during their treatment in the hospital. So how can it be said or reported that only 10 persons were killed even out of the 13 dead bodies found in burrow pit including others who gave up in hospitals which they hitherto denied the killings.

The illegal killing of Pro-Biafra agitators did not start today. It is very unfortunate that the Chief of Army Staff could choose to lie about conducting investigations whenever Pro-Biafra protesters are been killed when it would be recalled that since 30th August, 2015, no investigation had been carried out on the wanton killings of Biafrans in Onitsha and other states or are they acting based on the condemnation of Amnesty International to these killings?

For record purposes, following the illegal arrest and incarceration of the Director of Radio Biafra and the Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, thousands of Biafrans peacefully and lawfully protested on the major streets of the country, demanding for his release and the restoration of the Sovereign State of Biafra. President Buhari through his trigger-happy uniformed men of the combined team of Nigerian armed forces(JTF), shot at innocent Biafrans in three separate incidents that happened in Onitsha.
First was on 30th August, 2015, where many lost their lives, the second was on December same last year when Biafrans protested at Ojukwu's gateway, Head Bridge, Onitsha.

Again, Biafrans were killed in Onitsha when celebrating the order of the Federal High Court, Abuja by Justice Adeniyi Ademola, calling for the unconditional release of Kanu which was never adhered to. Also not forgetting, are other separate incidents which happened same last year where the Nigerian combined security team opened fire on Pro-Biafra protesters in Aba and Port-harcout(Igweocha), arresting scores of agitators.
It is also worrisome and unimaginable that Lt. Gen Buratai in the said report would try to cover or justify these killings by his assertion that the military forces were provoked, saying that their rules of engagement permits the use of force when other measures has failed to address any security challenge.

Related article:Full Report Of How 22 Biafra Agitators Were Killed While Praying In Aba
One wonders if singing and praying or even marching on streets are provocative to the Army. Apart from shooting at defenceless demonstrators, what other measures did they apply? When do protesting and not insurgency, turn to a security threat or challenge?
The reality on ground is that the Nigerian state through its security apparatus would try to do anything within its disposition to subjugate, suppress or quell the Biafrans' struggle for independence, trying to crush its propagators or activists with little or no regard for their fundamental rights.

The claim by Buratai to investigate its army is nothing but a ruse, as we already know that nothing positive will come out of it. A puppet will always dance to the tune of its master, invariable meaning that Buhari can never be accused by Buratai who happen to be his foot soldier. The only investigation that will be considered is one carried out by ICC lawyers, Amnesty International and other reputable bodies. Nigerian army investigating itself mean absolutely nothing to Biafrans because they are the killers of our people.

Written By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
Edited And Published By Nwosu C.S
By Biafra writers