This position
of ours on AI is sequel to recent intimidation and verbal violence unleashed on
the group by the Nigerian Army (DHQ) and
the Nigeria Police Force over its advocacy condemnation of the recent killing
of “at least 46” or “as much as 60”
members of unarmed Islamic Movement in Nigeria (Shiites). The growing
intolerance of the present central Government of Nigeria to democratic free
speeches including street protests and religious processions is alarming and
deafening and poses greatest threat to the sustenance of democracy, human
rights and rule of law in Nigeria.
The globally
respected rights watchdog must not allow itself and its works to be
“industrially scaled down” on account of mounting intimidation and verbal
violence by the present Government of Nigeria and its security establishments.
The promotion and advancement of constitutionally and internationally
guaranteed fundamental human rights and other human rights of all Nigerians
must remain non-negotiable, irrevocable and sacrosanct.
There is
irreconcilable disconnect and deepened disagreements between the present
political office holders in Nigeria, numbering only 17,500 and most Nigerians,
numbering over 180m; over the former’s mounting intimidation and verbal
violence against the human rights works and leadership of Amnesty International
in Nigeria. Among the paltry 17,500 top
elected and appointed public office holders in the present Nigeria, there are
“silent majority” who utterly disapprove the said Government intimidation and
verbal violence; and among the 380,000 members of the Nigeria Police Force and
120,000 members of the Nigerian Armed Forces, there are also “silent majority”
utterly disapproving such intimidation and verbal violence against Amnesty
Int’l and other well meaning rights and justice groups working in the country.
Therefore,
the rising wave of intolerance, remorselessness, blunders, unprofessionalism,
clannishness, intimidation and verbal violence characterizing the policies and
conducts of the present crop of federal political office holders and their
security establishments; on justice, security and human rights in Nigeria or
any part thereof; are far from being consented or approved by most
Nigerians. This is more so when every
single member of the present federal ruling class in Nigeria has never toyed or
played with his or her own human rights and those of their children and
relatives. Their children and other household members are so secured that most,
if not all of them are kept and sustained in safest places overseas with best
education, healthcare, security, economy and pleasure; only for them to turn
around and massacre the governed citizens at will or with reckless abandon.
It is so bad
that over N1trillion is spent annually for nothing or without anything to show
for same to equip the country’s security establishments for the purpose of
safeguarding “the citizens in law” against the menaces of “the citizens against
the law”; only for the same security agencies to turn their guns against law
abiders and turn off same against the lawbreakers. The level of security threats and other
unsafe conditions in present Nigeria has already reached a maddening
proportion; to the extent that innocent and defenseless Nigerians now have
their lives and liberties trapped in double jeopardy: state actor and non-state
actor atrocity criminalities.
From the
history of this modern world, there had never been conflict or difficulties
between “national interests” or “national security” and human rights. As a
matter of fact, a better “national security” or “national interests” is ensured
in the atmosphere of respect and promotion of human rights. This position has
remained the core foundation of the world’s two famous schools of human rights;
namely: “libertarian school of human rights” and “egalitarian school of human
rights”.
While the
former is founded on the concept of American liberty (i.e. human rights and
welfare of US citizens first before those of other citizens), the latter is
founded on European Union concept of liberty (i.e. equality of human rights and
welfare of EU citizens and those of other citizens around the world).
But in
present Nigeria, neither of the two is in place as a national policy for
generality of the Nigerian citizens, except “human butchery” or death and
vendetta policies. The present central Government and its security
establishments in the country are so incorrigible and unprofessional that they
keep repeating the same blunders and death policy over and over again despite
their socially catastrophic consequences on the unity, security and image of
the country. As a matter of fact,
impunity has steadily reigned supreme in the Administration in the past three
and half years or since June 2015.
The present
central Government of Nigeria and its security agencies has been shooting and
killing Nigerians en masse since mid 2015 so as to send message of “might” and
“conquest”; yet “might” and “conquest” have refused to swallow and overrun
Nigeria and Nigerians. The presence of Nigeria’s leading human rights activists
in the present central Government is also responsible for the endangerment of
the lives and liberties of Nigerians.
Apart from
the fact that the Government is headed by a brute, the said leading rights
activists are undeniably emboldening the Government to commit more atrocities
and turn deaf ears on horrible human rights situations in the country. The
activist-friends and appointees in the present Government are also devising
escape routes or corridors of impunity for atrocity criminals including by
installing stooges as heads of some important regional and international
intergovernmental criminal and civil justice bodies.
A clear case
in point was the installation in April 2018 of a stooge of the present central
Government as “President of ICC”. The ICC “President” has since abandoned his
onerous tasks of protecting the vulnerable and endangered populations around
the world and fishing out and bringing to justice the perpetrators of their
tragedies; to become the “international lobbyist and image launderer of the
head of the present central Government of Nigeria who has several cases,
vicariously and directly, to answer before the ICC and other civil courts
around the world.
Intersociety,
hereby, commends Amnesty International for its steadfastness in its priceless
works on human rights in Nigeria. As a matter of fact, Amnesty International
“has become the international last hope of the common or ordinary Nigerians”.
Intersociety has tremendous respect for the globally respected rights watchdog
and sees the group and Human Rights Watch, USA as its international mentor and
great source of encouragement.
Intersociety particularly celebrates Amnesty
International’s statistical or database soundness and thoroughness of its
investigations which has never been validly faulted anywhere in the world
including Nigeria. This is one major area that Intersociety borrowed and learned
from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. The aptness and accuracy of
AI’s sources of information solidly gladdens our heart as well. Totality of
these has remained our guiding principles and major backbone till date.
Our silence
on the casualty figures of those killed in and around the Afara-Ukwu Palace in
Umuahia-Ibeku, Abia State on 14th September 2017 as recently given by Mr.
Nnamdi Kanu during his re-appearance speech, which is technically or expertly
deliberate; is a clear case in point. Our report findings in the entire
massacre of September 2017 including the Afara-Ukwu massacre of 14th September
2017 remain intact and irrefutable. This is on account of their independence,
neutrality and thoroughness.
Intersociety’s investigation into the massacre was not only year-long,
but also thorough, forensic and indisputable.
This also
accounted for our silence in the report and subsequent statements over the
whereabouts of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu or whether he was killed during the military
invasion of his father’s Afara-Ukwu Palace on 14th September 2017. We had
investigated and have it on dependable authority that Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and other
members of his royal family had left the Palace before the murderous soldiers
stormed same. That is to say that Mr. Kanu’s reappearance can never absolve the
Nigerian Army of genocidal and heinous criminal responsibilities into the
unlawful and violent invasion and massacre.
Intersociety also recalls that in the course
of our year-long investigation and issuance of report into the Army Python
Dance 2 in Abia State, calls came to us in torrents from youthful and adult pro
Biafra activists as well as other
members of the public to issue a statement joining others to “condemn the
Federal Government of Nigeria for killing Nnamdi Kanu on 14th September 2017
and requesting same to produce or release his dead corpse“; this we declined to
do till date on account of superiority of information at our disposal over
their requests.
Consequently,
Amnesty International and other well meaning rights groups and apostles of
justice around the world including Intersociety must not only rebuild the hopes
of the victims when shattered by atrocity crimes committers, but also go beyond
investigation and issuance of rights abuses’ reports and ensure three-way
justice for the slain, the wounded and the psychologically affected victims and
the society at large on one hand; and the perpetrators and their collaborators
on the other.
As a former
State Commissioner of Police in Nigeria once begged Intersociety as follows:
Please Intersociety, I am calling you because one of your advocacy reports has
made my retirement life miserable and unbearable to the extent that all the
places I applied for security consultancy jobs abroad and here turned down my
request citing your report against me on roadblock extortion when I was a
Commissioner in ---State; please how can we can meet so that you can give me a
retracting statement; so shall we make the service and retirement eras of those
perpetrators miserable and nightmarish until they pay heavily for the
atrocities the committed in office or while in service.
Signed:
For: Int’l
Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law
Emeka
Umeagbalasi, Board Chair
Mobile
Line/WhatsApp: +2348174090052
Email:
botchairman@intersociety-ng.org
Obianuju Joy
Igboeli, Esq.
Head, Civil
Liberties & Rule of Law Program
Email:
igboeliobianuju@gmail.com
