Following the Amnesty International report which accused the Nigerian military of killing 17 pro-Biafra protesters during their anniversary, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has called on the United Nation’s and Commonwealth of Nations to suspend Nigeria from the membership of the world bodies for human rights abuse.
Reacting to the Amnesty Report, the national leader of MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, said the Nigerian military’s rebuttal of the report was like “defending the indefensible”, insisting that MASSOB and other pro-Biafra agitators have more evidence to prove a case of genocide by the Nigerian army against the separatist groups.
“This denial is the pattern of Nigerian army to cover up heinous crimes they have committed against humanity and Biafrans in particular. The Amnesty International report is true and it shows that they are unbiased. It is a confirmation of what we have been saying and passing through in the hands of Nigerian military.
“Initially, we find it difficult to get Amnesty International and other world bodies to believe what we are saying, but I thank God that it (AI) has undertaken to investigate this very incident. We urge other international bodies to rise to the occasion and defend a non-violent and defenseless group whose only offence is seeking to express their right of self-determination as enshrined in the constitution and international treaties and conventions which Nigeria is signatory to,” he said.
The Amnesty International had on Friday released a report which indicted Nigerian troops for the death of at least 17 unarmed pro-Biafra supporters in south eastern states during the recent 49th anniversary of Biafra.
But in a quick rebuttal, the 82 Division of Nigerian Army, Enugu, in a statement signed by H.A. Gambo, a colonel and deputy director, Army Public Relations, and made available to journalists in Enugu, said the Amnesty Report was not only misleading and untrue, but was capable of discrediting the military.
“It is rather inconceivable for any individual or group to have decided to inundate the general public with an anecdote of unverified narratives in order to discredit the Nigerian Army in the course of carrying out its constitutional duties despite the inexplicable premeditated and unprovoked attacks in the hands of the violent pro-Biafran mob,” he said.