Acivil society group, the International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative, has raised the alarm that Nigerian security operatives are illegally arresting South-Easterners, particularly youths after being labelled Biafran activists.
The President of the International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative, Osmond Ugwu, disclosed this in a letter to the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission.
He copied the letter to the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the Department of State Services, the Amnesty International and other organisations.
He noted that the secret operations suspected to be targeted at eliminating the youths started on Monday, 8th November, 2021 when security agents invaded the house of one Chuks Egwuatu at Asha Street, Topland Amechi Road, Enugu State, by 5pm with the aim of taking him away secretly for elimination without trace.
Ugwu said, “Attention of International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative has been drawn to a secret operations of Nigeria Security agents of mop up activities and manhunt of people, particularly the youths in Southeast Nigeria suspected to be Biafra Activists.
“These secret operations suspected to be targeted at eliminating them manifested on Monday, 8th November, 2021 when many people alleged to be Nigeria security agents invaded the house of one Chuks Egwuatu at No 3 Asha Street, Topland, Amechi Road, Enugu by 5pm with the aim of taking him away secretly for elimination without trace.
“A source informed that the DSS, army and police raided the house of one Chuks Egwuatu on Monday morning by 5am to arrest him. They violently struck on his doors and shattered the glass windows. At first, the attackers were suspected to be armed robbers because of their aggressive approach.”
According to the activist, on failing to arrest Egwuatu, the security operatives took away four of his siblings, claiming they were DSS operatives in Enugu and that Egwuatu should report to the agency’s office for the release of his siblings.
“Names of the arrested/abducted siblings of Egwuatu still be held by the claimed men of DSS in Enugu include: Egwuatu Chukwuebuka (Male) Age: 20, Oruebube Hosanna (Male) Age: 18, Egwuatu Stephen (Male), Age 12, Idara Godwin (Female) Age: 22
“Our Investigation revealed that a lawyer visited DSS headquaters in Enugu in the evening of Tuesday, 9th November, 2021 to take the Egwuatu’s siblings on bail but DSS officers on duty denied having them in their facilities. It was also disclosed that Mr Egwuatu who does architectural and building work as a means of livelihood has been sympathiser of the cause of self-determination of Biafra through non-violent means.
“Our source informed that the Nigerian DSS, army and police placed Mr Egwuatu on a wanted list and insisted that he surrenders himself to be DSS as precondition for releasing his siblings. At the moment, Mr Egwuatu is reported to have been in the hiding without a place to lay his head for fear of being killed.
“International Solidarity for Peace and Human Rights Initiative wishes to condemn in very strong terms, the act of invading the house of Mr Egwuatu at that very early hours of dawn and sees the action as a secret programme of exterminating human rights activists, particularly of Biafra nationality agitators and further constriction of democratic space.
“It is the conclusion of our organisation that the purpose of invading his house at that hour of morning could be for no other reason other than to take him away and eliminating him secretly and without a trace as way of sending bad signals to other activists.
“The action of arrest and detention of the aforementioned siblings of Chuks Egwuatu, including a minor, master Stephen Egwuatu, 12 years old, constitutes gross violation of their fundamental human rights particularly right to personal liberty, right to fair hearing, right to freedom of movement, right to and right to dignity of human person as provided for and protected by sections 35, 36, 41 and 34 respectively of 1999 as amended and relevant provisions of international legal instruments of African Union and United Nations human rights instruments of which Nigeria is signatory to.
“We demand for immediate unconditional release of Egwustu Chukwuebuka, Minor Egwuatu Stephen, Oruebube Hosanna and Miss Idara Godwin, pay them adequate monetary compensation and writing of apologies to them for violation of fundamental human rights to be published in a national newspaper.
“We call on DSS and Police in Enugu state ensure that the perpetrators of the acts of invading the house of Mr Egwuatu by 5 am be treated as kidnappers irrespective of the agency they represent and be prosecuted as such.”
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