Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), an NGO, has petitioned the Federal Government at the United Nations (UN) over the military action in the Niger Delta.
SERAP says there are ongoing human rights violations which may amount to crimes against humanity.
In a petition sent to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), the United Nations was asked to “urgently facilitate a special session of the Human Rights Council to address the human rights situation in Niger Delta South-south zone in the context of the on-going conflict .”
Saying, “Since 13 May 2009, thousands of villagers have been displaced and thousands more are trapped in the cross fire between the Joint Task Force (JTF), which is composed from troops of the army, navy, air Force and the mobile police set up in 2004 to restore order in the Niger Delta South-south zone.
“The JTF attacks on the communities in the area, including the Okerenkoko and Oporoza communities, are continuing on a daily basis, reportedly because they believe the armed groups are hiding in the communities.”
“The JTF offensive began after it was allegedly attacked by armed groups. The JTF have been conducting land and air strikes on communities across the Warri south and south-west local government areas where the Nigerian government believes the camps of the armed groups are located. Hundreds of people are feared dead.
“According to Amnesty International, on 15 May, using helicopters equipped with machine guns, the JTF attacked several communities of the Gbaramatu Kingdom, including Okerenkoko and Oporoza. In Oporoza, around 500 people had gathered for a yearly festival that was being celebrated in several communities of the Gbaramatu Kingdom. Amnesty International also reported that hundreds of bystanders, including women and children, are believed to have been killed and injured by the JTF, and by the armed groups, while shooting at the JTF.
“The 20,000 people who live in the area of the attack are trapped there by the JTF’s continuing operations. The main method of transportation for these communities is by boat; however, people attempting to travel by water are reportedly targeted by the JTF or members of the armed groups. Thousands have fled their communities and are unable to return to their homes.
Many houses in the communities have been set on fire and destroyed by the military. People are still in hiding in the forest, with no access to medical care and food.
“We also have information that some victims of the aerial bombardment of Ijaw communities by the JTF who were rushed to a hospital, in the riverside community of Okerenkoko, for medical attention were bombed in the hospital with helicopter gunships. Some of the victims reportedly died in the hospital when the JTF bombed the Okerenkoko hospital.”
“Ask the Nigerian Government to provide restitution, compensation or both, as warranted, for damages resulting from the serious violations of the human rights highlighted above and urge the Nigerian government to fulfil its complementary obligations under the Rome Statute of the ICC to investigate fully, effectively, fairly, independently and impartially and bring to justice those suspected to be responsible for crimes against humanity in the context of the on-going conflict in the Niger Delta.”