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A reputable non-governmental and pro-democracy organization – HUMAN RIGHTS
WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has asked the United States of
America’s government and the European Union to impose sanctions on Nigeria
over the spate of killings of civilians by security forces since two years
ago that are unaccounted for despite global outcry.
The Rights group has also asked the United States Congress to freeze the
sale of weapons to Nigeria already approved by President Donald Trump
during a recent state visit by the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari
under whose command and control over a thousand unarmed Igbo demonstrators
and sympathizers of the now proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra were
mauled to their gruesome deaths by Nigeria Army. HURIWA also described as
strange the decision by Donald Trump to sale sophisticated weapons to the
Nigeria Army responsible for the gruesome mass murder of unarmed members
of the Shiites Islamic movement and the UNJUST incarceration of its
leader; his wife and hundreds of other members arrested and dumped in
detention facilities for demanding the release of their leader who was
thrice granted bails by Federal High Court but for which the Nigerian
government disrespected.
In a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and
the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA condemned
the inhuman decision by the President of United States to okay the sale of
fighter Jets to the Nigerian government whose security forces killed
thousands of Nigerian civilians which was even captured in the recent
human rights report by the state department of United States of America.
HURIWA asserted that Amnesty International had done a highly scientific
and evidence based findings which indicted the Nigeria Army for the
extra-legal killings of over 600 demonstrators suspected to be members of
Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) and over 350 persons belonging to
Shiites Islamic Movement who were killed by Army in Zaria over two years
ago.
“We are in deep shock that although the United States President is ceased
of all the damaging facts about large scale extralegal killings that
occurred in South East of Nigeria and North West of Nigeria but still
proceeded to okay the sell of the deadly fighter jets to the Nigeria Army
whose human rights record is about the worst globally.”
HURIWA also recalled that a Frontline rights group, the International
Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) on recently
accused the Nigerian Army of illegally killing about 150 pro-Biafra
activistsast year apart from the number listed by Amnesty international.
It alleged that the crime was committed last year and covered up under the
blanket of Operation Python Dance II.
The allegation was contained in a statement signed by Intersociety Board
Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, and Head, Civil Liberties & Rule of Law
Programme, Barr Obianuju Joy Igboeli.
HURIWA said the statement released from the group’s head office in
Onitsha, Anambra State, reads: “The combined authorities of the Nigerian
Army and the Nigerian Air Force are responsible for killing of no fewer
than 456 defenseless and unarmed citizens of the country in 2017 alone.
The killings included jet-bombing of no fewer than 236 Christian IDPs at
Rann IDP camp in Kale-Balge LGA of Borno State on 17th January 2017.
“There were also no fewer than 20 supporters of Biafra Indigenous People,
shot and killed by soldiers at pro Trump Rally in Port Harcourt on 20th
January 2017; no fewer than 50 rural Christians bombed to death in Numan,
Adamawa State on 4th December 2017; and no fewer than 150 mainly
supporters of Biafra Indigenous People killed on 12th, 13th and 14th of
September 2017 in Afara-Ukwu, near Umuahia (105 deaths), Isiala-Ngwa (20
deaths) and Aba (25 deaths). Over 100 unarmed and defenseless others were
also shot and wounded particularly in Afara-Ukwu; which witnessed the
highest number of injuries and Aba with the second highest number of
injuries.
“In 2016, the Nigerian Army, joined by Nigeria Police Force and other
security agencies killed no fewer than 200 pro Biafra activists in Aba on
18th and 29th of January and 9th of February (60 deaths including 16 slain
bodies dumped in two burrow pits and over ten recovered slain bodies) and
29th and 30th of May 2016 at Nkpor, Onitsha and Asaba (140 deaths with
only about 15% bodies of the slain recovered and buried by their
families).
“In 2015, the Nigerian Army, joined by Nigeria Police Force and other
security agencies killed no fewer than 50 unarmed pro Biafra campaigners.
They were killed at Awka and Onitsha on 30thAugust; again in Onitsha and
Aba on 2nd December and lastly for the year in Onitsha on 17thDecember at
Niger Bridgehead. Out of no fewer than ten killed in Aba on 2nd December
2015 along Aba-Port Harcourt Road, five slain bodies were later dumped
inside a burrow pit.
“The remaining number of deaths associated with army massacre of
pro-Biafra Campaigners came from other violent crackdowns that greeted
their street protests between 2015 and 2016 in Asaba-Delta State,
Enugu-Enugu State, Abakiliki and environs-Ebonyi State, Yanogoa-Bayelsa
State, Port Harcourt-Rivers State and Uyo-Akwa Ibom State. There are also
unreported others technically classified as dark and grey figures of
crimes. In the above highlighted massacre operations, no fewer than 500
were shot and maimed with some crippled for life and a number of others
died from injuries sustained.
“The Nigerian Army is also responsible for killing between 12th and 14th
of December 2015; of no fewer than 1000 members of Islamic Movement in
Nigeria or IMN. The killings took place in Zaria, Kaduna State during the
annual sacred procession of the sect. Subsequent killing by security
forces in 2016 and above; of the unarmed Islamic sect members also led to
no fewer than 120 deaths.
“There are also other military killings resulting from custody related
deaths in Northeast Nigeria. These deaths perpetrated in conflict
environment and outside military necessity, clearly constitute war crimes.
They include torture-deaths (including starvation and malnutrition) in
army detention centers involving hundreds of civilians including new born
and others aged not above five. Among such deaths were 240 deaths recorded
in the Giwa Military Barracks in 2016 in Borno State. Statistics relating
to these custodial deaths are contained in the reports of Amnesty Int’l
including its 2016/2017 and 2018 reports on Nigeria.
HURIWA said: “We have resolved to dispatch letters directly to the United
States Congress to demand for immediate imposition of military sanctions
and immediate embargo on proceeding with the military commercial
partnership with Nigeria not until the Nigerian state is able to prosecute
and punish all the armed operatives responsible for these massive
extra-legal killings in the South East and also the killers of Shiites
Moslems.”
HURIWA endorsed the investigation by the Onitsha based NGO which stated
that: “From our findings following several months of investigation, no
fewer than 150 pro Biafra activists and other defenseless members of the
public were killed by the Nigerian Army; with 70% of the deaths arising
from Afara-Ukwu massacre. In the Afara-Ukwu massacre of 14th September
2017, no fewer than 105 deaths were recorded.
“No fewer than 20 deaths were also recorded at Isiala-Ngwa Army
Checkpoint, while 25 others occurred in Aba. The Army massacre operation
in Afara-Ukwu; which commenced around 3.26pm of 14th September 2017,
resulting in the death of not less than 105 citizens, was executed in less
than three hours during which no fewer than 70 others were shot and
injured. No single soldier lost his life in the operation. Sixty (60)
unarmed citizens including survivors of the massacre and other members of
the public were also arrested during and after the massacre and arraigned
at Umuahia Magistrate Court on “terrorism charges”. They were later
reminded at Aba Prison Custody.
“As it has become the atrocious practice of the Nigerian Army military
since mid-2015, approximately 80% of the bodies of those shot and killed
in Afara-Ukwu, Isiala-Ngwa and Aba were taken away and dumped in
undisclosed locations till date. For instance, days after the Afara-Ukwu
massacre, corpses numbering eight were found inside a bush at a location
in Umuahia. The dumped dead bodies later identified as supporters of
Biafra Indigenous People and its leader, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu by their
survivor-colleagues.
HURIWA said these killings must be accounted for and the mass murderers in
military uniforms identified, prosecuted and punished for tgese crimes
against humanity.