Saturday, June 17, 2017. 17:45GMT
After several months of investigation by the Nigerian military over the killings of members of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) as reported by Amnesty International (AI), the Nigerian military, on 15 June 2017, published their findings.
In their report, the Nigerian military claimed that “no IPOB member was killed during the incident (IPOB protest) at Onitsha bridgehead but police report showed that 14 people were arrested on the day -May 29, 2016.”
In response to this, AI firstly condemned the biased panel, saying “our call is for an investigation that is independent, impartial and thorough; criteria that this panel clearly does not meet.”
Dismissing the report, AI affirmed, “We maintain that the nine (9) senior commanders named in our report should be the subject of an effective and independent investigation. Our priority is justice, human rights and the dignity of human life in Nigeria.”
Recall that AI had on 24 November 2016, published that according to their investigations, “the Nigerian security forces, led by the military, embarked on a chilling campaign of extrajudicial executions and violence resulting in the deaths of at least 150 peaceful pro-Biafra protesters in the south-east of the country.”
Further, in the report, AI revealed that their investigations were based on “analysis of 87 videos, 122 photographs and 146 eye witness testimonies relating to demonstrations and other gatherings between August 2015 and August 2016.
“The analysis consistently shows that the military fired live ammunition with little or no warning to disperse crowds.
“It also finds evidence of mass extrajudicial executions by security forces. 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.”
To this end, IPOB entreats the United Nations, Human Rights Watch and other human rights bodies to join in this fight against human rights abuses and repressive system of governance by the Nigerian government. An abuse on any human anywhere in the world is an abuse on everyone. Let us make the world a better place.
Somuadila Ugwummadu | For Biafra Writers
