The Nigerian Army on Thursday accused a Non-Governmental Organisation, InterSociety, of endorsing “the mindless criminalities of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra(IPOB) and its armed affiliate, Eastern Security Network (ESN)” through inciting the public against the military.
The Army said the NGO is fond of “making bogus and unsubstantiated claims, aimed at supporting the activities of outlawed groups in Southern Nigeria,” tagging their allegation of killings and destruction of houses and other property as misleading.
International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, otherwise known as InterSociety, accused the Nigerian Army, the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, the Nigerian Air Force and the Nigerian Navy of killing over 1,400 Igbos, razing about 1,000 homes in 100 Igbo communities within 14 months spanning October 2020 till December 2021.
The report titled, ‘Massacre in Eastern Nigeria: A Special Investigative Report’, was prepared by the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and released on Wednesday in Enugu by the organisation’s Board of Trustees – Board Chairman, Chief Emeka Umeagbalasi; Head of Campaign and Publicity, Chidimma Udegbunam; Head of Democracy and Government, Chinwe Umeche; Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Obianuju Igboeli; and Head of International Justice and Human Rights Programme, Chinaza Bernard, among others.
The report alleged that the security forces arrested 4,800 civilians while 1,000 were missing and could not be accounted for within the 14-month period.
The report stated, “The Nigerian security forces, presently structured along northern Muslim lines and deployed in Eastern Nigeria, had in 14 months or between late October 2020 and December 2021, killed no fewer than 1,150 defenceless citizens of Eastern Nigeria.
”All the victims were members of the Judeo-Christian faith and mostly ethnic Igbo citizens. Their killings represent monthly average of 85 deaths and daily average of three, and could be monthly average of 155 and daily average of 5.5 deaths if the presumed dead 1,000 missing citizens are added.
“The trio of Governors Hope Uzodimma of Imo State, Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and David Umahi of Ebonyi State are the most vicariously culpable governors that aided and abetted the killings and property destruction, including burning of civilian homes and sanctuaries.”
But the Director, Army Public Relations, Brigadier General Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a statement on Thursday that “while the NA would not like to join issues with such organizations, which sympathize with the bloodletting and other heinous crimes going on in the region, it is instructive to state that the NA remains a cherished national institution that has fought at different fronts for the defence of the sovereignty and unity of Nigeria and would therefore not permit dissidents and their cohorts to undermine national security.It is sacrosanct to reaffirm that the NA is a professional force that conducts its operations in line with global best practices and would not under any guise be involved in the suggestive extra judicial killings and such wanton abuse of the fundamental human rights of the citizenry, as alleged by InterSociety.
“More worrisome is the fact that organizations such as InterSociety turn their eyes the other way, when outlawed groups like IPOB/ESN forcefully deny law abiding citizens their inalienable rights to freedom of movement through their illegal sit-at-home order. These organizations and their likes are advised to re-channel their concerns to the crimes committed by these criminals, who abduct, torture, maim kill and cannibalize their traditional rulers, fellow Ndigbos and other innocent Nigerians under the guise of struggle for ’emancipation’.
“For emphasis, the NA remains a professional force that adheres to extant rules of engagement and code of conduct for operations. The general public and indeed the good people of South East Nigeria are urged to please disregard these unfounded allegations emanating from the propaganda arm of dissident groups in the toga of Civil Society organization.”