A coalition of civil society organizations and individuals from the Southeast region of Nigeria has taken a bold step towards addressing the pervasive human rights violations plaguing their communities.
The petition, signed by a cross-section of prominent civil society organisations, including the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Initiative for Public Safety, Security and Educational Development in Nigeria (IPSSED Network), and Vivacious Development Initiative (VIDI), represented a united front of civil society actors committed to advocating for the protection of human rights and addressing the dire situation in the Southeast.
The detailed report provided by the coalition lays bare the extent of the human rights abuses that have plagued the Southeast region of Nigeria. Citing numerous examples of coordinated attacks, brutal killings, extortion, sexual violence, and widespread destruction of property, the coalition presents a compelling case for systemic abuse, alleging that these incidents are not isolated cases but part of a larger pattern of abuse.
“We are deeply troubled by the oppressive atmosphere of siege, impunity, and fear in the Southeast,” the petition states. This raises a significant concern over the federal government’s approach to dealing with insecurity in the Southeast region. The signatories argue that the authorities’ singular focus on the activities of IPOB, as the primary source of instability in the region, diverts attention away from the various other factors contributing to the complex and multifaceted security challenges in the area.
Delving deeper into the cases that paint a disturbing picture of rampant human rights violations, the coalition’s petition points to a specific incident that occurred on May 4, 2023, in the community of Igga, Enugu State. The statement alleges that security forces conducted an illegal raid in the area, ruthlessly gunning down residents, including a 70-year-old man, Richard Okoye, in a senseless display of violence. The coalition claims that the brutal attack also left countless homes reduced to ashes, leaving the community reeling from the devastation.
In a bid to justify their heavy-handed tactics, the police reportedly attempted to rationalize the Igga raid as a necessary measure to combat the killing of police officers by local criminals. However, the coalition remains unconvinced by this explanation, as it does not absolve the security forces of their alleged use of excessive force and indiscriminate destruction of property.
Adding another brutal incident to the grim list of human rights violations in the Southeast region, the coalition noted that on April 28, 2024, armed herdsmen reportedly descended upon the peaceful Nimbo community in Enugu State, leaving a trail of carnage and devastation in their wake. The assailants, according to the coalition, did not discriminate, mercilessly slaying five individuals, including a defenseless two-year-old child.
It said, “This would not be the first time that innocent and helpless members of the Nimbo community would be attacked by armed men suspected to be herdsmen. In 2016, the community was attacked in like manner, leaving many people dead and the entire community almost in ruins.”
Beyond the individual incidents cited, the coalition also drew attention to the longstanding communal conflicts between Ezza-Effium and Ezza-Ezeilo communities in Ebonyi State, which have yielded devastating consequences for the people of the region. According to the petition, the deadly clashes have resulted in repeated massacres, leaving countless lives lost and communities ravaged.
The coalition asserts that the state government’s alleged complicity in these conflicts has created a dire need for an independent and impartial investigation by the NHRC, as it fears that the local authorities may prioritize their political interests over the well-being of the people they are obligated to protect.
The statement also highlighted the increasingly dire situation in Imo State, where pervasive violence has forced many communities to evacuate in search of safety. Armed groups and government-backed informal security agencies, according to the coalition, have become embroiled in bloody conflicts that have left a devastating toll on civilians caught in the crossfire. The coalition claims that residents have been subjected to a myriad of human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings and sexual violence, with both sides blaming each other for these atrocities.
In addition to the horrific incidents of violence, the coalition’s statement drew attention to the widespread extortion and harassment that plagues commuters and motorists in the Southeast region. The coalition alleges that security checkpoints, which are ostensibly established to maintain public safety, have become breeding grounds for intimidation, humiliation, and bribery.
The coalition, in their petition, further expressed deep concern over the escalating violence perpetrated by non-state actors, including cult groups, which have fueled insecurity and unrest in the region. According to the coalition, the deadly activities of cult groups have claimed the lives of at least 34 people in Awka and its environs, with the violence intensifying in the period spanning from Easter Sunday to May 6, 2024.
The coalition, in their plea to the NHRC, implored the commission to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the human rights violations and insecurity plaguing the Southeast region. The coalition argued that such an investigation would be critical in identifying the underlying factors contributing to the violence and holding the perpetrators accountable for their actions.
“We strongly assert that these cases grossly violate several articles of domestic and international human rights frameworks,” the petitioners declare, citing violations of the right to life, freedom from torture, and the right to personal security, among others.
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