HURIWA writes Biden, others to stop ‘genocide’ in Southeast

By ENIOLA DANIEL

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has written President Joe Biden of the United States of America; Congress and prime ministers of Great Britain, Canada, and Australia for immediate intervention in the “needless bloodletting by the Nigerian Army and security forces in the South East of Nigeria.”

It also pleaded with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State “to stop the illegal execution of youths by soldiers and police in Imo.”

The group went on: “We are by this last warning asking the Chief of Army Staff, the governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces to stop the genocide being masterminded by the armed soldiers, who are mostly persons of non Igbo speaking states, to stop the shoot-on-sight order by the army chief, which has already led to the killing of many Igbo youths, especially in Imo.

“These persons would not go scot-free and will, in the fullness of time, be brought to face criminal trials in The Hugue, Netherlands before the International Criminal Court. Our earlier warning to go to the ICC will be met soon.”

In the official correspondence, HURIWA observed:  “We appeal that your good offices would spur President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, to molibise necessary agents check o the insecurity in the land.

“You will recall that due to the sad incidents of the emergence of security threats constituted by some criminal elements collectively called unknown gunmen, who have in the past few weeks attacked police formations and killed policemen in an unwarranted and treacherous manner, the President Muhammadu Buhari administration has reportedly approved what the government simply called ‘new security measures for South East and South South.’”

The rights group added: “Government has not informed the public about the nature of the security measures.

“It is our understanding based on credible media reports that the military high command ordered soldiers to shoot on sight in the South East and South South. This is unconstitutional and illegal. This directive has led to the killing of many youths in South East. We had sent a letter to the Chief of Army Staff calling his attention to this illegality and urged him to order his soldiers to stop killing Igbo young Nigerians, but all to no avail.” (The Guardian)