Ref:
InterSoc/002/02/016/Security/Chiefs/ABJ/NG
Honourable Minister of Interior, Federal
Ministry of Interior
Old Secretariat, Area 1, Garki, FCT,
Abuja, Nigeria
Chief of Defense Staff, the Defense
Headquarters
FCT, Abuja, Nigeria
Ceaseless
Killing Of Unarmed Citizens In Nigeria: Why Security Chiefs Must Desist From
Provoking More Insurgencies Capable Of Plunging Nigeria Into Syrian Styled
Violence (Part One)
The leadership of International Society for
Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) writes your two
important public offices concerning the above named subject. This letter is
also adopted and supported by other nine group-members of the Southeast Based Coalition of Human Rights
Organizations (SBCHROs); comprising: Anambra
State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), Center for Human Rights
& Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC),
Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR), Society
Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), Southeast
Good Governance Forum (SGGF), International Solidarity for Peace & Human
Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY) and Igbo Ekunie Initiative (pan Igbo rights
advocacy group).
Government Announcement Of Violent
Crackdown On Pro-Biafran Agitators: We wish to recall, Sirs that
the Nigerian Army had on November 16, 2015 announced a violent crackdown on
those who are peacefully and nonviolently agitating for their constitutional
and treaty rights to self determination, development, existence,
peaceful assembly, association, personal liberty, movement, life, dignity of
human person, expression and fair hearing. These rights are fully guaranteed by
the 1999 Constitution in its Chapter Four (Fundamental Human Rights) as well as
by various international human rights treaties particularly the African Charter
on Human & Peoples Rights of 1981, ratified and domesticated by Nigeria in
1983 and the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights of 1976,
ratified by Nigeria in 1993. These rights are constitutionally and
conventionally exercisable by all citizens provided they are exercised
peacefully and nonviolently. They are also mandatorily protected and
safeguarded by the State, African Union and the United Nations. The
leading group in this context is the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and
millions of its supporters in Nigeria and overseas. The Army’s announcement,
which was restated by your office (CDS) on behalf of the Nigerian Military, is
contained in the following link: http://www.informationng.com/2015/11/pro-biafra-protests-army-warns-ipob-massob-others-against-secession.html.On 1st December 2015.
As if that was not enough, Sirs, the Inspector
General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, on 2nd December 2015 issued a
stern warning and directed his subordinate officers in the Southeast
and the South-south zones to apply maximum
(deadly violence) force against the pro Biafran self determination
agitators particularly the IPOB and its teaming supporters. The said
order of 2nd December 2015 is contained in the following link: http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/194275-nigeria-police-chief-orders-anti-riot-force-to-maximally-restrain-pro-biafra-protesters.
The IGP had earlier threatened to use deadly violence to crack down the
peaceful and non violent protests under reference. The threat was issued during
his live program on Channels Television in Lagos State 8th of
November 2015. Below is the link to the threat under reference:
htmlhttp://www.nairaland.com/2722903/arase-issues-final-warning-pro-biafra
Reasons For Pro-Biafran Peaceful
Protests: It is further recall, Sirs that tens of thousands of
members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and millions of their
supporters had since July 2015 involved in peaceful and non violent street
protests in 10 States of the Southeast and the South-south zones except Edo
State. They also protested in Lagos, Abuja and dozens of foreign countries in
Europe, North America and Asia. The protests peaked between October and
December 2015 following the arrest and long and unconstitutional detention
without fair charge and trial of the leader of IPOB, Prince Nnamdi Kanu.
Citizen Nnamdi Kanu was arrested on 14th October 2015 and had never
been released on bail till date despite several court orders either ordering
for his conditional release or unconditional release. The causes of these
peaceful and non violent protests, Sirs are fundamentally founded on escalation
and entrenchment of individual (personal insecurity) and group (structural
insecurity) violence against the Igbo Ethnic Nationality in Nigeria.
In other words, Sirs, their peaceful and non
violent protests were geared towards drawing the attentions of the Nigerian
authorities and members of the international community over escalated and
unaddressed threats to personal security and safety and other unsafe
conditions (personal violence) as well as gross geopolitical imbalances and
lopsidedness against the Igbo Ethnic Nationality particularly the Southeast Zone
in matters of federal distribution of material and human resources (collective
violence). Totality of the foregoing is seen by them as constituting a
dangerous threat to their existence, development and enjoyment of
inalienable and statute rights provided by the Constitution and the
international rights conventions. Deprivation of these inalienable rights has
made members of the Igbo Ethnic Nationality and other Southern Ethnic
Nationalities endangered species in Nigeria. The peaceful
and nonviolent protests gained currency following the Buhari administration’s
soft spot for politics of exclusion and socio-ethnic divisiveness. The
grand purpose of these peaceful and non violent protests under reference is for
the Nigerian authorities to address the social anomalies complained of,
non-violently, competently and satisfactorily.
Consequences Of Government Violent
Crackdown: From our recent extensive investigations, Sirs, at least
80 innocent Nigerian citizens and mostly, members of the Igbo Ethnic
Nationality in Nigeria who are sympathetic to pro Biafran self determination
agitation, have been killed by Nigerian security forces since 30th
August 2015. The victims of the referenced butcheries have never used or
advocated violence. The leading killer-security force is the Nigerian Army,
followed by the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Navy.
Over 170 other innocent and unarmed citizens
have also been shot and critically injured while about 400 others or more have
been arrested, charged or detained without trial. Hundreds of them are
currently facing charges contrary to democratic free speech in
various magistrate courts in Southern Nigeria. Scores are also being detained
without trial amidst torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatments
or punishment in the hands of the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
There are also reported cases of disappearances, abductions and pretrial
killing of members of IPOB particularly in Southern Nigeria. In the context of security
forces atrocity index, the Nigerian Army accounts for 60% of the
atrocities while the Nigeria Police is responsible for 30%; leaving the
remaining 10% to other security forces including the Nigerian Navy. The Nigeria
Police Force is solely responsible for indiscriminate arrests and disappearances
of citizens, whom it labels “IPOB/MASSOB” members.
Detailed Statistics: For
the avoidance of doubt, Sirs, among the 80 murdered citizens are 4 killed in
Awka and Onitsha on 30th August 2015; 13 killed in Onitsha on 2nd
December 2015; 12 killed in Onitsha on 17th December 2015 (eight
were killed on the spot and four others died in hospital following gunshot
wounds); eight killed in Aba on 18th January 2016; six killed in Aba
on 29th January 2016 and 22 killed in Aba on 9th February
2016. There were other killings that went unreported or unaccounted for till
date.
We further inform, Sirs that 60% of the
murdered citizens were shot and killed on the spot by soldiers. Their corpses
were picked up by the same soldiers, taken to secret destinations and buried or
dumped in secret graves or borrow pits. In most cases, if not in all cases,
Sirs, the said murdered citizens have their hands tied behind their
backs, poured raw acid or other defacing and decimating chemical substances and
laid face down to avoid easy identification and to erase traces. Those
critically shot and injured by soldiers who are at the point of death are
routinely shot dead and buried or dumped in a like manner.
Dead Victims: Among the
four citizens killed in Onitsha and Awka on 30th August 2015 are
Ebuka Nnolum of Enuguabo-Ufuma in Anambra State and Obasi Maduka of Oshiri in
Ebonyi State. Among 13 citizens killed in Onitsha on 2nd December
2015 are: Miss Anthonia Nkiruka Ikeanyionwu (Anambra State), Kenneth Ogadinma
(Abia State), Chima Onoh (Enugu State), Angus Chikwado (Anambra State) and Miss
Felicia Egwuatu (Anambra State). The remaining eight citizens shot and killed
by soldiers of the Onitsha Military Cantonment commanded by Col Isa Abdullahi
were taken away and secretly buried or dumped in undisclosed locations till
date.
Also, out of 12 citizens killed in Onitsha on
17th December 2015, only four who died in the hospital were
identified. One of them is Citizen Okwu Friday. The identities of three others
cannot be disclosed here as pleaded by their families. The corpses of the
remaining eight citizens shot and killed on the 17th of December
2015 were taken away by soldiers of the Onitsha Military Cantonment. Among the
22 murdered citizens in the Aba Prayer/Meeting session of IPOB on 9th
of February 2016 are: Uche Friday (30yrs), from Asa in Abia State; Emeka
Ekpemandu (35yrs), from Owerre Nkwoji in Imo State; Chiavoghi Chibuikem
(Obingwa in Abia State); Nzubechi Onwumere (Orlu in Imo State); Peter Chinemerem
Ukasoanya (27yrs), from Isialangwa North in Abia State, Chigozie Cyril Nwoye
(23yrs), from Umuna in Ezeagu, Enugu State; Chukwudi Onyekwere (26yrs), from
Aboh Mbaise in Imo State; and Chibuzor Maduagwu (28yrs), from Amauzari in
Mbano, Imo State.
The remaining 12 dead bodies of murdered IPOB members were taken away by soldiers of 144 Battalion of the Nigerian Army, located at Asa in Ukwa West LGA of Abia. The 144 Battalion is commanded by Lt Col Kasim Umar Sidi. The Abia State Police Command had earlier admitted publicly of shooting and killing two IPOB members (“for disturbing students of the National High School in Aba”). The Command is presently and officially in possession of the two dead IPOB members it shot and killed.
Yours Faithfully,
For: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Onitsha, Southeast Nigeria)
Emeka Umeagbalasi, B.Sc., Criminology & Security Studies; M.Sc. (Candidate), Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
Board Chairman
Mobile Line: +2348174090052
Email: info@intersociety-ng.org, emekaumeagbalasi@yahoo.co.uk
Website: www.intersociety-ng.org
Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq., LLB, BL; LLM (Candidate)
Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law Program
Mobile Line: +2348034186332
CC:
1. National
Security Adviser, Retired Gen Babagana Mungono
2. Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon
Justice Mahmud Mohammed
3. Inspector
General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase
4. Attorney General
of the Federation & Minister for Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN)
5. United Nations
Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon
6. United Nations High Commissioner for
Human Rights, Mr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein
7. United Nations Chief Repertoire on
Extra Judicial Killings, Prof Christof Heyns
8. European Union (EU) High
Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security, Ms Federica Morgherini
9. Head/African Research Group &
Deputy Head/Research Analyst, UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office, Dr.
Clare Thomas
10. Head, Political Section of the US Embassy
in Nigeria
11. Head, Political Section of the UK High
Commission in Nigeria
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