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Osinbajo Bombarded With Facts Of Gross Human Rights Abuses In Nigeria
Memo To Federal Government On Gross Abuses Of Human Rights In Nigeria: Urgent Call For Special Criminal Investigations Board & 3-in-One Federal Judicial Commissions Of Enquiry (Concluded)
It is recalled that the leadership of our Organization, Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law (Intersociety) had on 29th June 2017 written and successfully submitted a 17-page detailed memo to Prof Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, in his official capacity as the Acting President of Nigeria & Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces.
The memo seeks to draw his Government’s attention formally or officially to raging gross abuses of human rights in Nigeria and associated heinous crimes especially since 29th May 2015 when the sixth central civilian Government which he now heads in acting capacity came on board. For easy public reading, comprehension and analysis, the memo was segmented with its first, second, and third parts published on 29th June, 1st July and 3rd 2017.
The links to the three parts are here:
1. Intersociety Bombards Osinbajo With List Of Gross Human Rights Abuses In Nigeria
2. Public Interest Memo On Commission Of Heinous Crimes
3. Intersociety Floods Osinbajo With More Gross Human Rights Abuses Facts
The final part of the Memo is concluded today being 5th July 2017.
The hard copy of same has also been sent to the Acting President of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces via courier service while its soft copy with relevant attachments had earlier been successfully submitted to him on 29th June 2017 via his personal email and those of the AGF and the SA on Media to the President.
The concluding part of the detailed memo is published as follows:
THE RETURN OF DECREE 2 AND LONG DETENTION WITHOUT TRIAL IN NIGERIA
The continuing long and incommunicado detention of Citizens Ibrahim El-Zakzaky and his wife-Malama Zeenatu as well as Chidiebere Onwudiwe, Dave Nwawuisi, Ben Madubugwu and Bright Chimezie Ishinwa, etc. is totally condemned.
It is constitutionally, regionally and internationally abominable and unjustifiable to throw innocent citizens into indefinite detention for two years without trial; on sheer basis of regime hatred and vindictiveness.
These are a clear breach of Section 35 (4) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution which prohibits arrest and detention of citizens for over 60 days or two months without trial or administrative or court bail no matter the gravity of the alleged criminal offence or offences. It is our further and firm demand that there shall be immediate and unconditional release of all innocent political detainees in Nigeria including the leader of IMN and his beloved wife.
All phantom charges against them must be dropped and discontinued by the Attorney-General of the Federation [AGF].
We also urge you, Sir, as acting President of Nigeria and a professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria to direct the AGF and the authorities of the SSS including its DG to discontinue as a matter of uttermost immediacy the draconian, undemocratic and unconstitutional practice of arresting and detaining Nigerians especially the regime critics for several months and in many cases for over one year and above without trial or administrative bail.
The most recent case in point is the release by SSS on 23rd June 2017 of the duo of Citizens Henry Onuorah and Bassey Mohammed; two IPOB officials arrested and detained solitarily without charge by the Service since 9th July 2016; a period of over 11 months.
Another clear case in point is the inclusion on 22nd June 2017 through an amended charge of Citizen Bright Chimezie Ishinwa in the list of those IPOB/pro Biafra activists vindictively arraigned in court by the SSS/AGF.
Citizen Bright Chimezie Ishinwa is an IPOB official arrested and detained incommunicado without trial or access to his family and lawyers by SSS since 16th of September 2016.
Despite the 24th May 2017 judgment of a Uyo Federal High Court ordering his unconditional release and payment of N5 million compensation to him, the SSS refused to release him till date; leading to contempt and committal proceedings initiated against the authorities of the Service; only for the Service to make a U-turn and hurriedly filed an amended charge in the pending case of Nnamdi Kanu and ors and joined him as a co-defendant.
In the said amended charge, Citizen Bright Chimezie Ishinwa was slammed with “conspiracy to commit treasonable felony and improper importation of goods”. On account of this, Sir, Citizen Nnamdi Kanu’s present bail or conditional freedom is threatened, if not technically revoked.
This is owing to the fact that all the accused persons including Nnamdi Kanu will take fresh pleas whenever their case resumes leading to their fresh bail applications to be made orally or in writing.
DEMAND FOR FEC APPROVED SPECIAL CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIONS BOARD
There shall be constituted urgently a special criminal investigations board to thoroughly, dispassionately and conclusively investigate:
(1) the massacre and maiming of Shiite Muslims in Zaria;
(2) the mass killing and maiming of pro Biafra activists in Southeast and parts of South-south Nigeria;
(3) the mass killing of predominant rural citizens especially Christians by armed Fulani herdsmen since June 2015 and possible reprisal killing of Fulani herdsmen/citizens by the victims’ groups; and,
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