Amnesty International Nigeria (AIN) has slammed the federal government for failing to investigate and address various rights violations in Nigeria.
Addressing a press conference in Calabar, the Cross River State capital on Thursday, the AIN Researcher and Media Manager, Damian Ugwu and Isa Sanusi, respectively, regretted federal government’s actions when it comes to addressing and investigation of right violations.
The duo said, “We started in June 1967 during the days of the civil war, Buhari was a beneficiary of the Amnesty International’s activities when he was arrested and held under house arrest after coup of 1984.
“We wrote to the Federal Government, then, the Military Government to tell them that they should respect the right of President Buhari and allow him the freedom to leave his normal life, Obasanjo and many others were declared prisoners of conscience, we fought for them and now they are politicians who are fighting us.
“They are fighting against what they have benefited, fighting against human right, it will not discourage us or stop us, power is transience, those in power today, one day they will be nothing, no one will even be talking about them but freedom and Amnesty International will be there and people will continue to fight them.
In 2017 December, Nigerian government signed anti torture Act, which makes it criminal to torture detainees, up till now, no Police officer has been placed on trial, while we know that torture is still going on, we want to see people brought to book for violating human rights, we want to see people go to jail for torture, extra judicial execution and ill treatment and killings,” the duo stated.
“For instance, in 2016, May 13, we documented the killing of Biafrian activist in South East Nigeria, the government promised to investigate, up till now, nobody has been brought to book, in 2014, March 14, we are talking about Giwa Barracks massacre, where 640 people were killed in a day, in Maiduguri.
“We documented in one of our reports and government promised to investigate, up till now, we are not aware of anybody who has been sanctioned because of that and so many violations.
“Between 2016 and now, we have written two reports about SARs and we have noted the brutality and impunity that go on at several stations like SARs in Anambra State and other stations and torture of innocent citizens, which Police promised to investigate up till now, no Police officer has been brought to book on account of torture.
Consequently, on Boko Haram, the AIN said, “Since beginning of Boko Haram, we have done so many reports. Boko Haram’s reports are the most influential reports we have ever done, we issued very strong researched work and press statement on what they are doing and condemned the military for what they are doing in violating the right of civilians in fighting Boko Haram.
“Our position is that what Boko Haram is doing is wrong, it may amount to war crime against humanity and we believe that Boko Haram shall be held accountable and brought to justice.”
