From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
A human rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, (HURIWA) has threatened to drag the Federal Government of Nigerian and the five governors in the South-East geopolitical zone to the International Criminal Court, ICC, in The Hague, Netherlands, over the rising killings and kidnappings in the zone.
The group’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, described the atrocious incidents in Imo, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi and Abia as “crimes against humanity” which should be stopped forthwith.
HURIWA said both federal and state governments are duty-bound to protect Nigerian citizens and should not be exposed to insecurity as prevalent in the South-East in the last two years.
Recall that gunmen on Sunday kidnapped four Reverend sisters of the Catholic church along the dreaded Okigwe-Enugu Road in Imo State whilst on their way for morning mass.
The four abducted Rev. sisters are: Benita Agu, Liberata Mbamalu, Johannes Nwodo and Christabel Echemazu.
The latest kidnap adds to the growing number of the heinous incidents in the South-East which include abduction of Catholic priests, the Primate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, all of whom were freed after bogus ransom running into a billion was paid.
Whilst some Catholic priests like Rev. Fr. Chinedu Nwadike who was kidnapped along the same road last week made it out, his other colleagues have not been fortunate as they were killed by armed gunmen terrorising the South-East zone under the guise of Cattle grazing, commercial motorcycling, amongst other camouflage trades.
Commenting on the development, HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The activities of armed Fulani terrorists in the South-East and especially the rampant cases of armed kidnappings for ransom in Umulolo-Okigwe Road, Okigwe- Enugu Road in Lokpanta are worrisome.
“HURIWA condemns the abduction of four Revd sisters on Sunday morning whilst on their way to mass and the many kidnap of Catholic priests in the South-East and other parts of the country which show that the gunmen have specific targets in mind.
“Federal and state governments including security agencies like the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services must ensure the immediate and unconditional release of the abducted sisters who have done no wrong by being committed to their religious devotion.
“According to Section 14 (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”. The government must stop giving vain excuses and quit its relaxed and unconcerned posture and secure the people against gunmen aggression in whatever guise.
“HURIWA condemns the apparent inability of South-East governors to galvanise armed forces to wipe off the menace of killings and kidnappings in the zone.
“The DSS and the regional security outfit called Ebubeagu must focus on what matters which is the security of the people and not them busy killing Igbo youths on nebulous ground including recent extrajudicial killing of 14 Igbo youths at Awo Omamma in the Oru East Local Government Area of Imo on July 17 whilst returning from a wedding. Again, we reiterate the need for justice on the massacre of the innocent and unarmed wedding guests as it appeared that the case has been swept under the carpets after initial protestations by many people and groups.
“Aside from the Awo Omamma killings, Ebubeagu officers on July 24 allegedly shot dead a student, Kelechi Ogbonna, in the Oguta LGA of Imo.
“Amnesty International captured the extrajudicial killings in the South-East when it said at least 115 innocent persons were tagged ‘militants’ and killed by security forces between March and June 2021 in the five states in the zone. Also, a non-government organisation, Intersociety, alleged in January that state actors including police, soldiers, DSS operatives, amongst others, killed about 1,400 residents and torched about 1,000 homes in 100 South-East communities within 14 months.
“The kidnapping-for-ransom and killings by non-state actors including ‘unknown gunmen’, notorious Fulani herders, amongst others MUST STOP. The four abducted Revd sisters must be rescued with immediate effect. The security agencies must make this happen instantly having failed to man the dread road and protect motorists.
“Also, the extrajudicial killings of innocent and unarmed Igbo youths by security agents MUST stop. HURIWA has compiled evidence of crimes against humanity to be sent to International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, against South-East governments, the Federal Government and armed security forces.”
