Tuesday 25 October, 2016
Despite United Nations' continued silence over the atrocities committed by the Nigerian security operatives against the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB; Amnesty International, AI, has continued to expose, indict and caution the Nigerian government against such crimes capable of triggering internal violence and subsequently, war.
In AI's bid to keep checkmating the Nigerian security operatives, it has, in collaboration with Human Rights, Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF) flagged off operation "STOP TORTURE" in Biafran communities.
Prior to this campaign, AI had indicted the Nigerian security operatives of abuse of human rights, tortures and killings against Biafrans. Below are selected parts of AI's reports against the Nigerian government, with dates and their links.
2015 Annual Report: "On 17 December 2015, the military killed five people when they opened fire on members of the IPOB who were demonstrating in Onitsha, Anambra state, in celebration of the initial announcement of Nnamdi Kanu's release."
Read more:Amnesty International Shines Light on Human rights abuses in Nigeria
10 June 2016: "An on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International has confirmed that the Nigerian army gunned down unarmed people ahead of last month's planned pro-Biafra commemoration events in Onitsha, Anambra State. Evidence gathered from eyewitnesses, morgues and hospitals confirms that between 29-30 May 2016, the Nigerian military opened fire on members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB), supporters and bystanders at three locations in the town. Link: amnesty.org/en/search/?q=Nkpor
26 August 2016: "Sunday Chucks Obasi (30) was abducted from his home in Amuko Nnewi, Anambra state on 16 August 2016 by five armed men suspected to be Nigerian security agents who had a vehicle with a government registration number plate. Witnesses say he was injured during the incident. His whereabouts remain unknown." Link: amnesty.org/en/search/?q=Nnewi
21 September 2016: "A Nigerian police unit set up a combat violence crime, has instead been systematically torturing detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes, Amnesty International said in a report published on 21 September 2016. In Nigeria: You have signed your death warrant, former detainees told Amnesty International they had been subjected to horrific torture methods, including hanging, starvation, beatings, shootings and mock executions, at the hands of corrupt officers from the feared special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)."
Read more:Amnesty Report: Nigeria Special police squad get rich torturing Detainees
28 September 2016: "The continuing spate of arrests and detentions of journalists and bloggers amid the security forces' violent disruption of peaceful protests underscores how the Nigerian government appears determined to crush dissent and suffocate freedom of expression, said Amnesty International today. The organisation is calling for the authorities to ensure the rights of Nigerians to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression, as guaranteed by international human rights law and the Nigerian constitution. Link: amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2016/09/nigeria-crackdown-and-shrinking-civic-space/
In addition to these indicting and founded reports by AI against the Nigerian government, UN on 4 September 2016, released a report which read in part:
"Nigeria is a deeply divided society considering the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that define her political existence. Since Independence in 1960, Nigeria has struggled to build and sustain national integration."
Read also:Biafra: Okarki Community Boils over Death of Izu Joseph the Shootings stars Football player--See more Photos
Addressing Nigeria's cruelty against Biafrans, the report read, "For decades, different segments of Nigeria's population had, at different times, expressed feelings of marginalization of being short-changed, dominated, oppressed, threatened, or even targeted for elimination."
In IPOB's view, UN's report is so watered and does not paint a very clear picture of the atrocities committed by the Nigerian government against Biafrans. UN has also remained silent towards addressing the numerous reports by AI and this has further emboldened the undisguised abuse of human rights by the Nigerian government.
As we commend AI for her relentless efforts to uphold justice, equity and fairness, we urge the UN and Human Rights Watch to be more vehement towards indicting and cautioning the Nigerian government. We are calling for an end to these incidents of torture, illegal detention, unprovoked killings and other abuse of human rights by the Nigerian government to avoid any occasion of war that will be detrimental to the entire continent of Africa and beyond.
Written By Chinedu Ewulu
Published By Nwosu C.S
For Biafra Writers.
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