Nollywood actor, Chiwetalu Agu, who was arrested by the Nigerian Army over his support and canvassing for the Indigenous People of Biafra, has been picked up and quizzed by the Department of State Services, hours after he was released by the military.
A Nigerian writer, Chiagozie Fred Nwonwu, who writes under the pen name Mazi Nwonwu, confirmed that Agu was not yet a free man.
According to Nwonwu, Agu is presently in custody of the DSS.
“Chiwetalu Agu is still not free. He is with DSS now. Colleagues say they are looking for a top lawyer to bail him,” Nwonwu wrote on his known Facebook page on Friday.
Recall that there were widespread reports on Friday that Agu had been released by the Nigerian Army, following his arrest on Thursday, for wearing the Biafran regalia.
Agu was arrested in Onitsha, Anambra State, on Thursday.
The army had come out to say it arrested Agu for soliciting support for the separatist group, IPOB.
“Dressed in a very well known attire of the proscribed group, Chiwetalu Agu was picked up for questioning while inciting members of the public to join the proscribed group. Though he attempted puting up some resistance when troops made effort to take him into custody, he was not assaulted or subjected to brutalisation.
“While the NA recognises the inalienable rights of the citizenry to freedom of movement and expression as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, it is apparently a violation for any individual or group to incite the public to cause mayhem or break down of law and order.
“It is therefore pertinent to state that while exercising such freedoms, it must be done within the confines of the law, bearing in mind the imperative for peace, and national security,” the army had said in a statement.
The military had on Friday released Agu before he was reportedly picked up by the DSS for questioning.
The alleged brutalization and physical harassment and torture of the popular Nollywoods Actor Mr Chinwetalu Agu over his recent viral photo of him putting on the clothes made from the flag of the defunct Biafra Republic has been described as animalistic, insensitive, irresponsible, irrational, despicable and reprehensible. Canvassing immediate redress by the military high command, the prominent Civil society and pro-democracy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) said it was illegal to harass, a law abiding citizen like Mr. Chinwetalu Agu who has deployed his monumental creative talents as an actor to mobilize the society and to advocate for an ethically sensitive and humane society, must not be allowed to be swept under the carpets of impunity. “Where is that valid law within the federal Republic of Nigeria under constitutional democracy that denies the citizens their choice of apparel? Why is the flag of the defunct Biafra if turned into a clothe now made offensive and why is the Nigerian Army seeking to polarize the society and deepen the misperception that the military exercise in the South was meant to subject the citizens to ordeals of gross Human Rights Violations when this is not so? We condemn this overzealous tendencies of the military troop that undertook this abysmal and primitive act of humiliating a citizen for putting on his choice clothes when the primary duty of the Army is to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria? In which way has Mr. Chinwetalu Agu disrespected any provisions of the law and assuming without conceding that the putting on of apparel displaying the flag of the defunct Biafra Republic is unlawful, are there no human rights and law based procedure for bringing him to justice without metting out such level of brutality despite his age and his immense contributions to the entertainment industry?”
HURIWA spoke further: “We hereby appealed to the Chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Yahaya Faruk to arrest and sanction the Soldiers captured on the viral video for harassing and torturing the elder statesman or alternatively, we urge the victim of this Human Rights violation to seek redress in the Court of law under section 6 of the Constitution”. Specifically, section 6 states thus: “(1) The judicial powers of the Federation shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established for the Federation. (2) The judicial powers of a State shall be vested in the courts to which this section relates, being courts established, subject as provided by this Constitution, for a State. (3) The courts to which this section relates, established by this Constitution for the Federation and for the States, specified in subsection (5) (a) to (1) of this section, shall be the only superior courts of record in Nigeria; and save as otherwise prescribed by the National Assembly or by the House of Assembly of a State, each court shall have all the powers of a superior court of record. (4) Nothing in the foregoing provisions of this section shall be construed as precluding:- (a) the National Assembly or any House of Assembly from establishing courts, other than those to which this section relates, with subordinate jurisdiction to that of a High Court; (b) the National Assembly or any House of Assembly, which does not require it, from abolishing any court which it has power to establish or which it has brought into being.(5) This section relates to:- (a) the Supreme Court of Nigeria; (b) the Court of Appeal; (c) the Federal High Court; (d) the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (e) a High Court of a State(f) the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja;(g) a Sharia Court of Appeal of a State; (h) the Customary Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja; (i) a Customary Court of Appeal of a State;(j) such other courts as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction on matters with respect to which the National Assembly may make laws; and (k) such other court as may be authorised by law to exercise jurisdiction at first instance or on appeal on matters with respect to which a House of Assembly may make laws.(6) The judicial powers vested in accordance with the foregoing provisions of this section – (a) shall extend, notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this constitution, to all inherent powers and sanctions of a court of law(b) shall extend, to all matters between persons, or between government or authority and to any persons in Nigeria, and to all actions and proceedings relating thereto, for the determination of any question as to the civil rights and obligations of that person; (c) shall not except as otherwise provided by this Constitution, extend to any issue or question as to whether any act of omission by any authority or person or as to whether any law or any judicial decision is in conformity with the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy set out in Chapter II of this Constitution; (d) shall not, as from the date when this section comes into force, extend to any action or proceedings relating to any existing law made on or after 15th January, 1966 for determining any issue or question as to the competence of any authority or person to make any such law. HURIWA condemned the action of those soldiers because it violates section 42(1) which provides thus: “A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:- a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.(2) No citizen of Nigeria shall be subjected to any disability or deprivation merely by reason of the circumstances of his birth. Section 36. (1) In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or other tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality. Section 35.(1) Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law – a) in execution of the sentence or order of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty; b) by reason of his failure to comply with the order of a court or in order to secure the fulfilment of any obligation imposed upon him by law; c) for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of the order of a court or upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, or to such extent as may be reasonably necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence; d) in the case of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years for the purpose of his education or welfare; e) in the case of persons suffering from infectious or contagious disease, persons of unsound mind, persons addicted to drugs or alcohol or vagrants, for the purpose of their care or treatment or the protection of the community; or f) for the purpose of preventing the unlawful entry of any person into Nigeria or of effecting the expulsion, extradition or other lawful removal from Nigeria of any person or the taking of proceedings relating thereto: Provided that a person who is charged with an offence and who has been detained in lawful custody awaiting trial shall not continue to be kept in such detention for a period longer than the maximum period of imprisonment prescribed for the offence. And Section 34. (1) Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly – a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment; b) no person shall he held in slavery or servitude; and c) no person shall be required to perform forced of compulsory labour.” HURIWA cited news reports that popular Nollywood actor, Chinwetalu Agu, was reportedly brutalized by Nigerian soldiers for wearing an outfit with colours of the Biafran flag.
It was gathered that the incident occurred in the Upper Iweka area of Anambra state.
According to an eye witness, the Nigerian soldiers had stopped the Nollywood actors, bringing him out of his vehicle for interrogation.
Recall that Chinwetalu Agu had recently rocked the Biafra flag attire in a post on social media.
The Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Baba Usman has revived a notorious unit of the Nigeria Police Force, which was disbanded last year after #EndSARS protests, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
SARS was notorious for brutality, extrajudicial killings, and human rights abuses.
In a statement obtained by SaharaReporters, the IGP was said to have released new terms and conditions on the operation of SARS officials.
The Police Force also made phone numbers available for citizens to report harassment.
According to Baba Usman, SARS has been reformed and the new rules of engagement are stated below:
“No SARS personnel is allowed to interface in any civil matter.
“They are not allowed to interfere in cybercrime (yahoo yahoo).
“No SARS personnel is allowed to conduct a stop and search exercise unless there is a distress call from victims or members of the public.
“They are not allowed to be involved in commercial matters, debt recovery, (landlord vs tenant issues).
“They are not allowed to interfere in any social/relationship cases (marital matters, boyfriend/girlfriend relationship).
“They are strictly for armed robbery and kidnapping cases!”
Also, citizens are encouraged to report cases of harassment by any of its officials to the following office: DIG, Department of Operations:
Last October, there were massive protests in some states tagged #EndSARS, largely organised by youths, to call for an end to police brutality.
They also demanded that SARS, a police unit, notorious for human rights abuses, extrajudicial killings, and other atrocities should be disbanded.
But during the protests against police brutality, the Nigeria police unleashed more terror on peaceful protesters in many parts of the country, including at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos, the epicentre of the struggle.
The repressive regime of Muhammadu Buhari was forced to disband SARS.
It thereafter introduced the Special Weapons and Tactics Team, which many Nigerians described as not different from the disbanded SARS.
Meanwhile, the police inspector General, Baba Usman once said the disbandment of SARS had created a vacuum in policing the country.
He added that the morale of police officers in the country had been low since the #EndSARS protests in October 2020.
Says Miyetti Allah should be classified as a terrorist group
Leading Civil Rights Advocacy group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has faulted the decisions reached at the Tuesday October 5th meeting of South East governors and leaders just as the Rights group dismissed the decisions as utopian and dishonest. The group has called for thorough investigation of the widespread claims that the Department of State Services may have a hand in the spate of attacks in the South East of Nigeria just as the Rights group said the story making the rounds that a DSS operative was shot dead by the police when the police confronted armed unknown gunmen. HURIWA said that only pragmatic measures are required to bring to an end the rising security nightmares in the South East of Nigeria and the escalation of targeted killings and destruction of strategic national security assets. HURIWA regrets that Igbo political leaders are busy chasing shadows and failing to take deep measures to check the expanding frontiers of coordinated attacks against South East of Nigeria. “HURIWA is once more compelled to express resounding disappointment and shock at the clear absence of any pragmatic approaches by Igbo leaders and Governors but instead most of the decisions reached on Tuesday in Enugu are cosmetic, unrealistic and utopian. Wishing that there should be an end to sit-at-home order which has been violently enforced inspite of the denial of responsibility for issuing the order by the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) shows that these so –called political, religious and cultural leaders are living in the World of Utopia.” “The most pragmatic approach is to negotiate an end to the tagging of IPOB as a terrorists group, instituting of constructive back channel dialogues with the detained leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and his members, consider conditional release from incarceration of all prisoners of conscience belonging to IPOB including their leader and for government to realistically investigate the possibility that Miyetti Allah may have a hand in the activities of the so called unknown gunmen”. HURIWA said it is heartwarming that President Muhammadu Buhari has showed his readiness to mediate in the ongoing war between Ethiopia and Eritrea but the Rights group told President Muhammadu Buhari that since charity begins at home, he needs to initiate far reaching measures to negotiate a truce with agitators for self determination in Southern Nigeria. HURIWA wondered how the governors of the South East have failed to hire private forensic investigators from Europe to help unravel the identities of the funders of unknown gunmen and to ascertain the persons carrying out the killings, but the governors have continued to hold on to the lazy, infantile and highly unscientific conclusion that IPOB is behind the killings or the sit at home order even when IPOB through its spokesperson has consistently denied responsibility of his proscribed group in any of the crimes. The South East governors are also not willing to safeguard Igbo land from the activities of foreign killer squads unleashed on South East by enemies of Igbo land such as Miyetti Allah that is angry that Igbos are in support of law against open grazing and had rejected the setting up the RUGA Fulani as canvassed by President Buhari. HURIWA said if the central government wants an end to the insecurity, then MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS should be classified as a terrorist group and investigated for their alleged funding of the violence in the South East of Nigeria. “HURIWA thinks that Miyetti Allah cattle breeders’ organization is a bloody sponsor of terrorism in South East and the statement of its leader gloating over the recent attacks in the South East has indicted his association as the funders of the killings in South East but sadly the Federal government is protecting and pampering Miyetti Allah. HURIWA recalled that Fulani herdsmen under the aegis of the Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore say despite their exit from the South-East and the implementation of the anti-open grazing law, the region has continued to witness insecurity.
The spokesman for the group, Saleh Alhassan, stated this during a chat with PUNCH Live on Tuesday, adding that the development was evidence that Fulani herders were never the problem. He said that there was no more open grazing in most parts of the South-East but only cattle trading, adding that the cows being sold in the South-East mostly belong to Igbo traders. Alhassan stated, “That nonsense you see in the South-East is a manifestation of frustration… They will continue burning their cities, killing themselves.“Now that the herders are not there, they are still killing themselves. Sometimes they wear Fulani attires to continue to commit heinous crimes.“Now that the herders are not there, are they having peace in the East?”
HURIWA said the gloating by the MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION about the South East security crisis shows their involvement in sponsoring the terrorism in the South East just as the Rights group said any solution without classifying Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association as a terrorist group and the arrest and prosecution of their leaders will remain cosmetic and meaningless. HURIWA said the South East governors should put on their thinking cap and wake up from their slumber and offer pragmatic and not utopian solutions. HURIWA recalled that Southeast governors rose from a meeting in Enugu, yesterday, and declared that they would do everything to end the ‘sit-at-home order of the proscribed Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB).
The declaration was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting with stakeholders and made available to newsmen.
The meeting was convened by the Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, and hosted by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State.
Reading the communiqué, Umahi said the governours were worried by the spate of insecurity in the region and condemned the continued ‘sit-at-home order.
Umahi, also Chairman of Southeast Governors’ Forum, said the governors, Southeast leaders and security chiefs condemned the spate of killings in the region.
He assured that the regional security outfit put together by states in the region, ‘Ebubeagu’, would be launched to give it teeth and laws passed in all the states to that effect before the end of 2021.
“The governors and leaders of the southeast condemn killings in the region and have agreed to join hands with security agencies to stop the trend.
“We, as well, condemn the ‘sit-at-home order by IPOB issued mostly by our people in the Diaspora who do not feel the pains.
“The meeting resolved that governors and people of the southeast will do everything within the law to ensure that there is no further sit-at-home and people are allowed to move about freely,’’ Umahi said.
Mourners during a mass burial for victims of Fulani terrorists attack in Madamai and Abun communities in Southern Kaduna.
Human rights group, the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety) has accused the Nigerian Muslim Jihadists of killing 4,400 Christians in the past nine months of 2021, a period of 270 days.
In a statement jointly signed by its Principal Officers: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche Esq., Obianuju Igboeli Esq., Chidimma Udegbunam, Esq., Intersociety also said that no fewer than 20 Christian clerics have also been killed or abducted by them within the period.
Condemning the raging and untamed anti-Christian genocidal killings and property violence, intersociety explained that the number of Christian worship centres severely attacked by the jihadists since January 2021 has risen to between 350 and 400, adding that not less than 3,500 traveller and sedentary Christians have also been abducted in the nine months of 2021 gone by; with several dozens of them feared killed in captivity.
Speaking on the perpetrators, Intersociety observed that the genocidal violent attacks against Christians in Nigeria have been elevated to a state policy-with the key perpetrators drawn from state actors (jihad enablers and perpetrators in the Government of Nigeria and its security forces) and non state actors (state protected armed jihadists).
It also explained that the non-state actor Jihadists are further divided into ‘international’ and ‘local’ wings.
“The local wing is comprised of Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and Jihadist Fulani Bandits. The Fulani Herdsmen were infiltrated, armed with sophisticated with weapons and radicalized in early 2000s by the country’s leading radical Muslims to perpetrate religio-sectarian mayhem in Plateau State (2001, 2004, 2007 and 2008) and Southern Kaduna and Benue State (from 2010 and upwards).
“In 2011, the group began to be transformed into instruments for jihad and politico-religious violence. By early 2016, the religious terror group fully transformed into Jihadist killer group and was massively deployed and used to unleash religious violence, hiding under the cover of cattle grazing and rural grazing routes and networks; through which they moved and occupied native farmlands and properties of the country’s indigenous Christians.
“The Fulani Bandits, originally called ‘Zamfara Bandits’, on their part, were raised in 2011 in Maradun, Zamfara State to counter the growing radical influence of the indigenous Hausa ‘Yankasai Vigilante’. The Jihadist group was initially infiltrated and hijacked by financiers of Zamafara illegal mining fields and later by leading Northern radical Muslim leaders including political office holders and senior security personnel.
The international wing of Nigerian Jihadist groups is comprised of Boko Haram and ISWAP and a litany of other internationally affiliated Jihadist group including Ansaru or Movement for the Emancipation of Black Muslims in West Africa. While Fulani herdsmen and Fulani bandits are made up of local terrorists, the Nigerian Government allowed alien Fulanis and acutely illiterate armed Hausa urchins, the Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru and others made up of Kanuris, Bagara/Shuwa Arabs and Maghreb Muslim Jihadists and handful of armed, indoctrinated and radicalized Fulanis and Hausa urchins.
Intersociety alleged that in the past nine months of 2021, Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen were responsible for death of not less than 2,540 Christians, having between 1st January and 18th August 2021 killed 2,259 of them.
It also alleged that the Fulani Bandits, accounted for not less 600 Christian deaths and have targeted and killed Christians majorly in Niger, Kebbi, Taraba and Adamawa States as well as in Southern Kaduna where they killed jointly with Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen.
It also noted that the Jihadist Fulani Bandits accounted for most of the indigenous Hausa Muslim deaths in the Muslim dominated areas of Sokoto, Katsina, Kebbi, Niger, Northern Kaduna and Zamfara states.
It said ISWAP and other foreign affiliated Jihadists also accounted for more than 680 Christian deaths while Northern Muslim dominated and controlled security forces such as Nigerian Army and Nigeria Police Force accounted for the remaining 680 civilian Christian deaths.
Leading Civil Society and Pro-democracy group-: HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has thrown her weight behind the insistence of the nation’s electoral umpires the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the November 6th 2021 election as planned inspite of heightened attacks by unknown armed non state actors.
Besides, the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA said it was heartwarming that even when speculations and accusations were rife that the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) had threatened to unleash unprecedented violence to stop the November 6th poll, the officially recognised spokesperson of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra Comrade Emma Powerful is known to have been attributed with the claim in the media that the violence targeting the facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission and strategic national security institution and operatives aren’t executed by his organisation but rather that a South East governor was behind the killings so as to render the election inconclusive and to enable the electoral panel to give the victory to the National ruling party of All Progressives Congress which produced the said alleged Igbo sponsor of the spate of attacks in the South East of Nigeria. HURIWA said there was valid reasons to investigate this libe of thoughts.
HURIWA through the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko therefore says the onus is now on the Federal Government of Nigeria using the law based security and intelligence gathering approaches and strategies to decide and unravel the exact sponsors and executors of the unprecedented bloody violence and targeted killings of Igbo academic and political elites that escalated since preparations for the governorship election in Anambra State intensified.
The Rights group accused the All Progressives Congress of demonstrating undue avarice and greed to scuttle the peaceful conduct of the anambra state gubernatorial poll going by the high level of committees backed by the federal government set up to help the All Progressives Congress candidate in the Anambra election Mr. Andy Uba to win.
“HURIWA doesn’t apprehend and comprehend the choreographed state of panic and terrific fears that the so called activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the state may obstruct the conduct of the election when from the official spokesperson of the banned group Nigerians have been told that IPOB won’t undermine the conduct of the election.”
“It is now becoming clearer that the All Progressives Congress is determined to throw Federal might and manipulate Presidential power and misuse public fund at the disposal of the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to deliver by hook or crook the Anambra state governornirship seat to the All Progressives Congress.”
“The body language of the President and his speeches and the fact that All Progressives Congress has set up nearly 100 men campaign panel made up of over 20 governors and Federal officials shows that the problem facing the smooth conduct of the Anambra state gubernatorial poll is not IPOB but the Federal government and members of the deep state who are plotting and working through the activities of the unknown gunmen to create panic and conflicts in Anambra to scuttle a peaceful, transparent and accountable election to either declare the election inconclusive as was done in Osun and then rig the by-election or to rig it outright and allow the Supreme Court to reinvent the Imo formula in which the person who emerged fourth by INEC was declared the winner by the discredited Supreme Court of Nigeria “.
HURIWA recalled that amidst the uncertainty over the election, Director, Voter Education and Publicity, INEC, Victor Ayodele Aluko, told the media on Monday that the emergency Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security meeting would among others deliberate on the way forward for the Anambra election.Asked if INEC was considering postponing the election as a result of the insecurity in the state, he said the answer would come after the meeting.
HURIWA said speaking at the meeting, INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, assured that the election will not be postponed just as INEC Chief recalled that during the ICCES last quarterly meeting on 9 September 2021, the committee received briefings and reviewed preparations for the election and that a major concern raised by members was the security situation in the state in particular; the adjoining states in general and how this might affect preparations and possibly the conduct of the election.
HURIWA quoted Professor Yakubu as saying thus: “Unfortunately, the situation has deteriorated markedly since our last meeting. Many innocent lives have been lost and property destroyed. From the reports we have received, the stated goal of many of the attackers is that the governorship election scheduled for 6 November 2021 must not hold.This is worrisome for the commission. We are deeply concerned that specific electoral facilities and materials could once more become targets of attack. Recall that in May this year, our State Office at Awka was attacked and all the non-sensitive materials assembled for the election at the time were destroyed.In addition, our store, collation centre and the main office building were either totally or substantially damaged. The Commission also lost several vehicles to be used for the election.
We appreciate the enormous challenges that the security agencies are presently facing in Anambra State, which entail not only securing the electoral process, but also enforcing law and order generally.
This is particularly worrisome because the security agencies have also become prime targets of these mindless attacks.
We will continue to work with the security agencies and in consultation with respected opinion leaders in Anambra State and the National Peace Committee to ensure that these hit-and-run attacks do not derail the electoral process.
To underscore this determination, the commission is implementing two more activities on the Timetable for the election in the next few days. The register of voters will be presented to political parties in Awka on Thursday 7 October 2021. On the same day, the commission will publish the final list of candidates for the election,”
HURIWA is therefore appealing to the good people of Anambra State to give peace a chance and to actively participate in the November 6th election so as to make their choice of who would salvage their state from perennial underdevelopment and economic insecurity since the last failed 8 failed years of the locusts by the outgoing governor of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). HURIWA has appealed to the Federal Government to fish out the agents sent by some federal government officials to destabilise South East of Nigeria in order to demarket IPOB and put them at loggerheads with the over 60 million Igbo people Worldwide.
Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has strongly condemned the reported extralegal killings of about seven house owners in Graceland neighborhood near the federal Aviation School, Samaru Zaria on the instructions of President Muhammadu Buhari and executed by the Kaduna State government with impunity and reckless primitive tendencies.
The Rights group in a media statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Director of Media Miss Zainab Yusuf, HURIWA said Kaduna state government has committed gross crimes against humanity by using crude force employed by the Nigerian Army to displace genuine or even imagined house owners and thereby killing seven citizens unlawfully. “We have it on good authority that so far, seven persons have been killed by soldiers who escorted the demolition squad from the Kaduna State government which claimed that the exercise was directed by President Muhammadu Buhari to enable the Aviation college to expand her training facilities within their vicinity. We wonder on which of the legal authority the President of Nigeria Under the Land Use Act of 1978 to order the revocation of property rights of citizens some of whom are citizens that have worked tirelessly to build the economy of Kaduna State”. “Our attention was called to the ordeals of an octogenarian whose house was crudely demolished in Zaria today’s morning even as he was shoved aside even after pleading with the Kaduna State government that the house was all he has in this life. He was physically, psychologically and emotionally tortured and his property demolished without consideration for his age and the fact that he retired as a Civil Servant after putting in nearly forty years of his productive life. The action of the Kaduna State government is unlawful, unconstitutional, murderous, offensive, despicable and reprehensible. We call on the United Nations, the European Union, Amnesty International, Human Rights watch of New York and all persons of good will to condemn these atrocious crimes against humanity by soldiers of the Nigerian Army and to demand efficaciousjustice for those killed unlawfully. We call for the arrest and prosecution of all the operatives and commanders of the Soldiers who directed the killings of innocent citizens whose only offence was seeking to use their persuasive might to defend their property”. HURIWA cited the provisions of the GrundNorm the brute and illegal action violated as follows: Section 33 stated thus: 33. (1) Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria. 34. (1) Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly – a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment; b) no person shall he held in slavery or servitude; and c) no person shall be required to perform forced of compulsory labour. 37. (1) Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance. (2) No person attending any place of education shall be required to receive religious instruction or to take part in or attend any religious ceremony or observance if such instruction ceremony or observance relates to a religion other than his own, or religion not approved by his parent or guardian. (3) No religious community or denomination shall be prevented from providing religious instruction for pupils of that community or denomination in any place of education maintained wholly by that community or denomination. (4) Nothing in this section shall entitle any person to form, take part in the activity or be a member of a secret society. 40. (1) A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:- a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; orb) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.
The Rights group has resolved to write the United Nations, European Union and ECOWAS to report both the Kaduna and the federal government over the extralegal killings of the citizens in Zaria.
Residents of Nde village in the Ikom Local Government Area of Cross Rivers State have lamented that they were brutalised by soldiers over the sacking of Fulani herdsmen who were terrorising the area.
In a video seen by SaharaReporters, residents narrated that the soldiers flogged no fewer than 10 youths for daring to prevent the herders from grazing.
They claimed that the youths “pleaded with the herdsmen” to leave their land after their cattle destroyed almost all their produce.
They added that consequently, soldiers from the Amphibious battalion allegedly arrived in the community and beat the youths mercilessly, leaving them with serious injuries, for asking the herdsmen to leave.
“The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
The herdsmen then went to Edor Army Barracks which is about three kilometers away to report that youths of Nde attacked them and sent them away from the Community.
“Soldiers from the barracks came in truckloads on Sunday, rounded up youths and took them to the barracks, flogged them severely, leaving them injured.
“Our community is currently on fire as military men dehumanised the youths with the intent to provoke us but we pleaded with the herdsmen to leave our land after destroying our crops to avoid further attacks,” a villager said.
The Nigerian Army has yet to officially react to the invasion by its personnel.
Following report that the Nigerian Army has launched multiple military exercises covering the Southern Nigeria aimed at checking the excessive cases of attacks targeting strategic national security institutions/ personnel and the killing of civilians by unknown gunmen, abd crimes, a call has gone to the military high command to abide by rules of engagement, respect for Human Rights of civilians and adherence to the principles of Rule of law.
HURIWA has also tasked the Nigerian Army not to work under a bandwagon conspiratorial plots that the attacks and killings are carried out by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra but the Army must be open minded, look inwards and investigate the possibility that these attacks may have been masterminded by federal government officials and some governors of the South East of Nigeria who may want to undermine the public acceptance and popularity of the agitation for self determination as canvassed by the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra. HURIWA expressed consternation that in the past few months many innocent Igbo youths have been killed, arrested, incarcerated and tortured by the security forces under the guise that all Igbo youths are members of IPOB just as the Rights group said even members of IPOB or ESN are entitled to the full protection of the law and therefore must never be killed extralegally by the armed forces of Nigeria which is an institution created by the GrundNorm.
Making the charge is the nation’s leading civil society group:- HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) just as the group has proffered workable solution to the rising uprising in the South East which according to it would include the recommendation by the South East governors to the president of Nigeria to lift the illegal tagging/classification of the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist group and to order the release of the detained leader of IPOB Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the institution of a genuine National reconciliation and dialogue for South East of Nigeria by both the central government and the South East governors. “The South East governors should begin by rescinding their ill-informed and malicious decision to recognize IPOB as a terrorist group after which the governors of the South East should openly recommend to president Muhammadu Buhari the deproscription of IPOB as a terrorist group as condition precedent for peace. HURIWA said it is mischievous that the same IPOB that operates freely in Europe and the United States of America are classified as a terrorist group by President Muhammadu Buhari who has yet to classify MIYETTI ALLAH CATTLE BREEDERS ASSOCIATION and Fulani herdsmen as terrorists “. Besides, HURIWA through a statement by the National Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko and the National Media Adviser Miss. Zainab Yusuf, has also tasked the South East governors to hire forensic private investigators so the forensic criminologists can ascertain the members of the deep state carrying out attacks on strategic national security institution and operatives and the sporadic but well coordinates assassinations of Igbo citizens. HURIWA has therefore restated her position that IPOB is not behind the spate of violence in South East since the majority of the victims are the finest crop of Igbo people just as the group suspected that some key officials of the federal government may be funding the violence. HURIWA thereby reminds the military of their legal obligations in all internal military operations thus: “Nigerian Armed Forces when deployed for either internal or external operations, are bound by the laws of war and international law in the conduct of the operations. The laws regulate and limit the conduct of operations by acting as checks against arbitrary use of force. They are intended to minimize unnecessary suffering by combatants and non- combatants during war. The laws of war and international law are therefore sources of military law in Nigeria and include the following: a. The four Geneva Conventions of 1949. b. The two Additional Protocols of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. c. Multilateral and bilateral agreements to which Nigeria is a signatory and have bearing on military service or operations. d. The decisions of: 1. The International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hague. 2. Ad hoc war crimes tribunals set up by or with the backing of the UN Security Council. (3) The International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague.”
HURIWA says thus: “The four Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949 for the protection of war victims are as follows: a. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field.
b. Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked members of Armed Forces at Sea. c. Geneva Convention Relative to the Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of war.
d. Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War”. The two Additional Protocols of 1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 are to supplement the 1949. Geneva Conventions and modernize the laws of war. Protocol I deals with the laws of war in international armed conflicts while Protocol 2 addresses the laws of war applicable in internal armed conflicts. It is nóteworthy that the four Geneva Conventions and the two additional Protocols of 1977 have been formally given effect in Nigeria by the enactment of the Geneva Conventions Act Cap G3 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. In sum, the Conventions and Protocols which are now an Act of the National Assembly, elaborately spell out the laws of armed conflicts on the use of force and the legal implication of disregarding rules regulating the means and methods of warfare, among other things. Specifically, section 3 of the Act provides a plethora of safeguides.
The Rights group therefore asked the military not to apply excessive use of brute force or to torture innocent people in the South East of Nigeria just as it reminded the Nigerian Army that all eyes are watching them and they will be subjected to international legal reprimand should they abuse human rights.
For over twenty years, Kaduna state has been divided into two. No neutral grounds. You are either on the Christian side or Muslim side and as much as we try to be neutral, we hardly can. It gives us the joy to see the other side suffering. It gives us reasons to pray to God and say “Hallelujah” or “Allahu Akbar.”
Yesterday, last night to be precise, Graceland, a retirees settlement in Zaria was demolished by the Kaduna state government. This settlement is owned by A.B.U and other institutions’ Christian retirees who had served these schools diligently for over thirty years, made their retirement plans by buying and building on pieces of land in this popular Christian-dominated neighborhood.
The College of Aviation Technology claims to own the lands that these people invested in long ago. While the case is in court, on Saturday evening, they got the news that they have just 24 hours to vacate their houses as the government was coming to demolish them. No prior notification. Nothing. Just like that, and last night was it. Demolished.
Reaching out to a friend this morning, she said, “Daddy bought that piece of land when we were in Primary School. He served in A.B.U’s senate for 35 years, and upon retirement built that house where he and our mother stay. Two nights ago, he saw in the news that the settlement is about to be demolished.
“This morning, they had demolished our neighbors, and when they got to ours, they asked Daddy to go remove his windows, doors, and ceiling fans before demolition continues. In the next 30 minutes or so, hour beautiful home would be gone forever!’
She went on to say, “El Rufai has never added value to the common man. He hates poor people. He hates the common man. Right from Abuja to Kaduna, he respects no one, most especially if you are a Christian and a minority. Pains and sorrow everywhere!”
True, as victims of the atrocities of El Rufai, I wish everyone was able to unite like the NLC and call his bluff to his face. But you see, he is a tactician. He is good at dividing the people and pitching them against one another.
Churches, schools, houses owned by Christian minorities are being demolished in Northern Kaduna. Bandits are kidnapping school children, and ransacking homes for who to kidnap in Kaduna Central, while the rest of Southern Kaduna is under 247 continues unprovoked attacks with a forecast of famine in the coming months.
The Bible says, when the righteous rules, the people rejoice, but as unfortunate as it sounds, while the issue of polarization on the basis of ethnic and religious divides is rife in Kaduna state, everyone, who is a nobody is at the receiving end of it, because of the policies of his Excellency, Governor Nasir El Rufai of Kaduna State.
