AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL CONFIRMS MURDER OF HUNDREDS OF PEACEFUL BIAFRANS BY NIGERIAN SECURITY FORCES
By Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers
A recent unadulterated report released by a global human rights organisation, Amnesty International has confirmed that over 150 Biafran activists have been gruesomely murdered by Nigerian security agencies, mostly the Nigerian Army.
The investigation and analysis conducted by Amnesty International stated that incontrovertible evidences culminating from "87 videos, 122 photographs and 146 eye witness testimonies relating to demonstrations and other gatherings between August 2015 and August 2016 consistently shows that the military fired live ammunition with little or no warning to disperse crowds."
It stated that, “evidence of mass extrajudicial executions by security forces, including at least 60 people shot dead in the space of two days in connection with events to mark Biafra Remembrance Day," were also used during the course of their analysis.
The report noted that "since August 2015, there has been a series of protests, marches and gatherings by members and supporters of IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) who have been seeking the creation of a Biafran state.
"Tensions increased further following the arrest of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu on 14 October 2015. He remains in detention."
Amnesty International described the methods being applied by Nigerian security agencies in handling peaceful protests and processions of Biafrans as a "reckless" and "trigger-happy approach" which has resulted to the extrajudicial executions of not less than 150 Biafran activists.
The Interim Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Makmid Kamara noted that it is heart-rending and horrific seeing video evidences of these gross violations of the human rights of Biafrans.
“It is chilling to see how these soldiers gunned down peaceful IPOB members. The video evidence shows that this was a military operation with intent to kill and injure,” he said
“This deadly repression of pro-Biafra activists is further stoking tensions in the south east of Nigeria. This reckless and trigger-happy approach to crowd control has caused at least 150 deaths and we fear the actual total might be far higher,
“The Nigerian government’s decision to send in the military to respond to pro-Biafra events seems to be in large part to blame for this excessive bloodshed. The authorities must immediately launch an impartial investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.” Makmid Kamara stated.
The NGO however lamented that, "despite this overwhelming evidence that the Nigerian security forces committed gross human rights violations including extrajudicial executions and torture, no investigations have been carried out by the authorities."
Makmid Kamara, Amnesty International Nigeria's Interim Director, decried the inadequacies of Nigerian government when it comes to investigating and prosecuting those indicted in these human rights abuses.
“Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the government of Nigeria to initiate independent investigations into evidence of crimes under international law, and President Buhari has repeatedly promised that Amnesty International’s reports would be looked into. However, no concrete steps have been taken,” Makmid Kamara lamented.
"In the very rare cases where an investigation is carried out, there is no follow up. As a result of the apparent lack of political will to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes, the military continues to commit human rights violations and grave crimes with impunity.
"In addition to investigations, the Nigerian government must ensure adequate reparations for the victims, including the families. They should end all use of military in policing demonstrations and ensure the police are adequately instructed, trained and equipped to deal with crowd-control situations in line with international law and standards. In particular, firearms must never be used as a tool for crowd control," Amnesty International admonished in the report.
Amnesty Source At least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra activists killed in chilling crackdown
By Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers
The investigation and analysis conducted by Amnesty International stated that incontrovertible evidences culminating from "87 videos, 122 photographs and 146 eye witness testimonies relating to demonstrations and other gatherings between August 2015 and August 2016 consistently shows that the military fired live ammunition with little or no warning to disperse crowds."
It stated that, “evidence of mass extrajudicial executions by security forces, including at least 60 people shot dead in the space of two days in connection with events to mark Biafra Remembrance Day," were also used during the course of their analysis.
The report noted that "since August 2015, there has been a series of protests, marches and gatherings by members and supporters of IPOB (Indigenous People of Biafra) who have been seeking the creation of a Biafran state.
"Tensions increased further following the arrest of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu on 14 October 2015. He remains in detention."
Amnesty International described the methods being applied by Nigerian security agencies in handling peaceful protests and processions of Biafrans as a "reckless" and "trigger-happy approach" which has resulted to the extrajudicial executions of not less than 150 Biafran activists.
The Interim Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Makmid Kamara noted that it is heart-rending and horrific seeing video evidences of these gross violations of the human rights of Biafrans.
“It is chilling to see how these soldiers gunned down peaceful IPOB members. The video evidence shows that this was a military operation with intent to kill and injure,” he said
“This deadly repression of pro-Biafra activists is further stoking tensions in the south east of Nigeria. This reckless and trigger-happy approach to crowd control has caused at least 150 deaths and we fear the actual total might be far higher,
“The Nigerian government’s decision to send in the military to respond to pro-Biafra events seems to be in large part to blame for this excessive bloodshed. The authorities must immediately launch an impartial investigation and bring the perpetrators to book.” Makmid Kamara stated.
The NGO however lamented that, "despite this overwhelming evidence that the Nigerian security forces committed gross human rights violations including extrajudicial executions and torture, no investigations have been carried out by the authorities."
Makmid Kamara, Amnesty International Nigeria's Interim Director, decried the inadequacies of Nigerian government when it comes to investigating and prosecuting those indicted in these human rights abuses.
“Amnesty International has repeatedly called on the government of Nigeria to initiate independent investigations into evidence of crimes under international law, and President Buhari has repeatedly promised that Amnesty International’s reports would be looked into. However, no concrete steps have been taken,” Makmid Kamara lamented.
"In the very rare cases where an investigation is carried out, there is no follow up. As a result of the apparent lack of political will to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of such crimes, the military continues to commit human rights violations and grave crimes with impunity.
"In addition to investigations, the Nigerian government must ensure adequate reparations for the victims, including the families. They should end all use of military in policing demonstrations and ensure the police are adequately instructed, trained and equipped to deal with crowd-control situations in line with international law and standards. In particular, firearms must never be used as a tool for crowd control," Amnesty International admonished in the report.
Amnesty Source At least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra activists killed in chilling crackdown
What is Amnesty International and global powers going to do about this report indicting President Buhari and his military killer squad of senseless killings of peaceful Biafran activists and protesters - when the dictator Buhari is talking about second-term in 2019? I hope Biafra nation is liberated from the Islamic Nigeria before then. We must never allow Buhari to get away with this second phase of genocide against Biafra. That will be a sad story and history of Biafra. We will never allow this to happen. This is 21st century and we let an archaic and ignorant man to continue to massacre our future. So sad indeed.
ReplyDeleteThey have kill us enough,we BIAFRA don't want to do anything anymore with the killers of our People,freedom of the people of BIAFRA and freedom of our director Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is what We want
ReplyDelete