by Southeast Based Coalition Of Human Rights Organizations (SBCHROs)
http://thetrentonlinecom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/themes/Newspaper/images/blockquote_gray.gif) 0px 20px no-repeat scroll rgb(255, 255, 255); border-left-style: none; color: #555555; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 23px; margin: 17px 0px; padding: 0px 50px 15px; position: relative; top: 6px;" style="border-left-style: none; color: rgb(85, 85, 85); font-family: 'helvetica neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: italic; line-height: 23px; margin: 17px 0px; padding: 0px 50px 15px; position: relative; top: 6px; background-image: url(http://thetrentonlinecom.c.presscdn.com/wp-content/themes/Newspaper/images/blockquote_gray.gif); background-attachment: scroll; background-size: initial; background-origin: initial; background-clip: initial; background-position: 0px 20px; background-repeat: no-repeat;">“I maintain that protest is an important democratic component of freedom of expression and freedom to assemble. Protest is an inalienable right of the human person. It starts from the womb. The Federal Government should prosecute all security personnel involved in the recent killing of protesters and reckless shooting of the protesters (in Onitsha). Let the protesters that come in conflict with the law, for example, if any loots, be dealt with under the due process (of) law; not killing. The criminal intention of the security personnel becomes obvious when the protesters are not armed and are non-violent. Some security personnel kill on ground of hate camouflaged as threat to security. You don’t kill a fellow citizen who is not armed for expressing himself or herself”. – Uche Wisdom Durueke, Esq., President Civil Liberties Organization, Nigeria (December 4th 2015).
Warning: The images in this story are of a graphic nature. Viewer discretion is advised.
The leaderships of the Southeast based Coalition of Human Rights Organizations, under the coordination of Intersociety; comprising the International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety),
Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO), the
Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA), Human Rights
Club(HRC) (a project of LRRDC), Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF),
Forum for Equity, Justice & Defense of Human Rights (FEJDHR), Society Advocacy
Watch Project (SPAW), Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF), the
International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative
(INTERSOLIDARITY), the Street Law Africa (LawAfrica) and the Igbo
Ekunie Initiative (IEI) (a regional rights campaigner) are in possession
of more facts and pieces of pictorial evidence exposing the dastardly
roles of the Nigeria Police Force and the military in the last
Wednesday‘s mass shooting, maiming and killing of innocent and unarmed
protesters/picketers in Onitsha during a peaceful
protest/procession/picketing held by the leaderships of the IPOB and a
splinter body of MASSOB for the purpose of peacefully pressurizing the
Buhari administration to unconditionally free Citizen Nnamdi Kanu, who
has been presidentially detained in solitary confinement since 14th of October 2015.
The official brains behind
the mass shooting and killing are the trio of IGP Solomon Arase, COAS
Tukur Buratai and Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State. Apart from
being vicariously liable, they are also
personally culpable by virtue of their orders for maximum or deadly
force to be used to quell the pro Nnamdi Kanu and Southeast political
self determination protests; as contained in the COAS order of November
12, 2015 and the IGP’s order of December 1, 2015. Governor Willie
Obiano’s official and personal culpability stems from his roles as the creator and general overseer of the Joint Security Taskforce (the lead-perpetrator) as well as the Chief Security Officer of Anambra State. These were reinforced by his late night broadcast to the State on 2nd December
2015 following the murderous handling of the peaceful protest by the
named official establishments. While the Chief of Army Staff (COAS) had
in the course of issuance of his use of deadly force order; described the protesters asinsurrectionists (taking up arms against Nigeria);IGP Solomon Arase on his part ordered his sub commanders to maximally apply their coercive powers to quell the protests. He
specifically directed AIGs in charge of Zone 5, Benin; Zone 6, Calabar
and Zone 9 Umuahia as well as all Commissioners of Police in the
affected States to henceforth “maximally exercise their statutory mandate in preventing any gathering that threatened public order and national cohesion”. It is therefore on the basis of these lethal orders and conducts of
the three official entities that the mass shooting and killings of the
unarmed and defenseless protesters were maximally carried out by their
sub commanders and subordinates.
More Facts On How Police, Navy & Army Opened Fire On Unarmed Protesters:
Contrary to erroneous impression created by the Inspector General of
Police, Solomon Arase and the Government of Anambra State to the effect
that what led to forceful and bloody dispersal of the protesters at the
Onitsha Bridgehead end of the Ojukwu Gateway was total blockage of the Niger Bridgehead and its Onitsha-Asaba Expressway by the protesters;
facts on the ground clearly showed that it was the soldiers that
actually blocked the Asaba end of the Niger Bridge for the purpose of
preventing the peaceful protesters from moving into Asaba, the capital
of Delta State. Further facts also indicated that the protesters had
carefully planned their protests and processions moving from Upper Iweka
to the Niger Bridge, back and forth; forming elbow walls and occupying
one lane, leaving the other lane for motorists and other road users.
Their attempts to extend the peaceful processions to Asaba Old Toll Gate
and returning to the Niger Bridgehead for picketing/vigil were denied
by soldiers who completely blocked the Asaba end of the Bridge, causing
long and excruciating traffic jams from the evening of Tuesday, 1st December 2015 to thenoon of Wednesday 2nd December
2015. The picketing/vigil was also carefully planned and organized to
be held off the two main lanes of the Expressway and restricted to its
service lanes and adjoining open spaces.
Shooting Of Onlookers & Passerby By Navy Personnel At Uga Junction: Further detailed disclosure of how Governor Obiano’sJoint Security Taskforce turned
the picketing/procession arenas in Onitsha into a war field has
emerged. That of Uga Junction involving personnel of the Ogbaru Post of
the Nigerian Navy was an eyesore and shocking. The shoot-at-sight orders of
the headships of Police and Military were maximally applied in the
instant case when the Navy personnel opened fire on unarmed and innocent
onlookers and passerby, hitting and critically injuring at least six
persons. The shooting erupted when the Navy personnel opened fire on one
of the protesters said to possess traditional anti bullet charms.
Unable to shoot and kill him, the shooting attracted a crowd of
passersby and onlookers who reportedly cheered the magical protester. In
returning, the Navy personnel opened fire on them, shooting them at
closed ranging leading to unfortunate ones being hit and critically
injured by fired live bullets. One of the shot and critically injured
victims was a female youth corps member.
Best Aluminum Industry’s Shooting &
Vandalism: The incident took place in the evening of Wednesday, 2nd
December 2015 along Anyika Street in Awada Layout near Onitsha. There,
one of the Mobile Police Personnel attached to the Managing Director of
the Firm, recklessly opened fire and shot indiscriminately leading to
gunning down of one of the retreating protesters. On sighting the shot
protester, the culprit police officer took to his heels, leading to mob
invasion of the Firm and subsequent vandalization of the Firm’s
premises. The Firm’s Managing Director was miraculously spared and
escaped lynching by the retreating angry protesters.
From the three accounts above, in addition to
those contained in our earlier joint statement of 3rd December 2015, it
has been indisputably and empirically established that the organization
and management of the protest/procession/picketing was totally non
violent, peaceful and substantially hitch free and that elements of
violence accompanying it leading to killing of over thirteen (13)
unarmed protesters and critically injuring of over 24 others; was solely
caused by the trio of IGP Solomon Arase, COAS Tukur Buratai and
Governor Willie Obiano; who collectively and individually ordered
violent disruption of the peaceful protest/procession and bloody
dispersal of the protesters. That is to say that the procession, protest
and picketing would have started and ended peacefully but for State
highhandedness leading to commission of State murder and mutilation of
the unarmed, non violent and innocent citizens.
Pictorial Evidence of the Murdered and the
Injured Protesters: Contrary to brazen denial and spinning of the
casualties associated with the killings by the authorities of the
country’s security forces led by the Nigeria Police Forces, we are now
in possession of more pieces of pictorial evidence of those killed and
injured in the Onitsha protests of 2nd December 2015. There are at least
24 shot and critically injured victims of the protests as well as over
thirteen (13) dead victims. The shot and critically injured victims who
spoke in a video clip attached below over their lethal ordeal at the
hands of the security forces; include Citizens Chidiebere Nnaji (Enugu
State) and Felix Ndianefo and Ikechukwu Okafor (Anambra State). The
names of some of the dead victims are Miss Anthonia Nkiruka Ikeanyionwu
(Anambra State), Kenneth Ogadinma (Abia State), Chima Onoh (Enugu
State), Angus Chikwado (Anambra State) and Miss Felicia Egwuatu (Anambra
State). There are other killings in Idemili and Onitsha and their
environs in late evening of the Black or Murderous Wednesday (December
2nd, 2015). The pictorial evidence and video clip are attached below.
Finally, the release of pieces of pictorial
evidence under reference is not only to shame those making futile
attempts to deny any official culpability and mangle the casualty
figures in the callous and murderous act under reference but also to
send a strong message to the duo of IGP Solomon Arase and COAS Tukur
Buratai as well as Governor Willie Obiano that there is no hiding place
for those who shed the blood of innocent citizens outside the law for
the purpose of consolidating or furthering their political interests
such as seeking and receiving presidential attention. The perpetrators
of the Black Wednesday in Onitsha, Anambra State who spilled the blood
of the unarmed and defenseless citizens to be presidentially recognized
and compensated must be made to face the wrath of the law and morally
nationally and internationally. It is extremely important to remind that
President comes and goes; IGPship, COAShip and Governorship also come
and go; but perpetrators and committers of State Murder will never go
unpunished no matter how long it takes. They must be reminded firmly
that State murder and torture are never statute barred and morally
expiring.
Signed:
For: Coalition of Southeast Based Human Rights Organizations (CSBHROs):
1. Emeka Umeagbalasi (+23474090052 (office)
For: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety)
2. Comrade Aloysius Attah (+2348035090548)
For: Anambra State Branch of the Civil Liberties Organization (CLO)
3. Comrade Peter Onyegiri (+2347036892777)
For: Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy (CHRPA)
4. Comrade Samuel Njoku (+2348039444628)
For: Human Rights Club (a project of LRRDC)(HRC)
5. Justus Uche Ijeoma, Esq.(+2348037114869)
For: Forum for Justice, Equity & Defense of Human Rights (FJEDHR)
6. Comrade Chike Umeh ( +2348064869601)
For: Society Advocacy Watch Project (SPAW)
7. Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esq. (+2348034186332)
For: Anambra Human Rights Forum (AHRF)
8. Comrade Alex Olisa(+2348034090410)
For: Southeast Good Governance Forum (SGGF)
9. Jerry Chukwuokolo, PhD (+2348035372962)
For: International Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative (ITERSOLIDARITY)
10. Evlyn Chinwe Eze, Esq. (+2347019646494)
For: Street Law Africa (LawAfrica)
11. Tochukwu Ezeoke(+447748612933)
For: Igbo Ekunie Initiative (a regional rights campaigner)
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