Twenty-five human rights and intelligentsia groups of old Eastern Nigeria origin, “working toward redressing abuses and violations of human rights of grievous nature as defined by int’l instruments”, on Tuesday “resolved to launch local and int’l justice campaigns against the immediate past Nigerian Army Chief, Retired Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai and over 20 others concerning their atrocious rights abuses while in office.”

“The referenced int’l justice campaigns specifically border on justice for the victims of the horrendous rights abuses and violations and the severe punishment of their perpetrators. The chief perpetrator in this regard is immediate past Army Chief, Retired Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai. Others in the list are senior serving and retired military and police chiefs, as well as the Govs of Anambra and Abia States; all numbering over 20,” the coalition said in a statement.

The coalition listed the following 19 alleged massacres to justify its demand:

“(1) the 30^th August 2015 massacre of 40 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during peaceful protests in Onitsha, Enugu, Yenagoa, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Asaba; (2) 2^nd and 17^th Dec 2015 massacre of 30 defenseless citizens of same faith in Onitsha; and (3) 14^th-15^th Dec 2015 massacre of no fewer than 1000 unarmed Shiite Muslims during their religious processions in Zaria (Government later admitted massacring 348); (4) 18^th and 29^th Jan 2016 massacre of 20 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during peaceful protests in Aba; (5) 9^th Feb 2016 massacre of 30 unarmed protesters in Aba; (6) 29^th and 30^th May 2016 massacre of 140 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during global Igbo Heroes Day in Onitsha and Nkpor (110 deaths) and Asaba (30 deaths), (7) the 2016 starvation to death of 240 civilian detainees including 29 children with ages between newborn and five years at Giwa Army Barracks in Maiduguri, Borno State (AI Report: 2016); (8) 7^th Jan 2017 military massacre (air bombing) of 236 internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Christian IDP camp in Kala-Balge, Borno State; (9) 20th Jan 2017 massacre of 20 unarmed protesters (pro-Trump rally) in Port Harcourt; (10) 4^th Dec 2017 massacre (air bombing) of 50 rural Christians in Numan, Adamawa State; and (11) 11^th to 14^th Sept 2017 massacre of over 180 unarmed and defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christians faith in Ogwe, Aba, Isiala-Ngwa and Umuahia, all in Abia State.

“The rest are: (12) 29^th and 30^th Oct 2018 massacre of 47 Shiite Muslims in Abuja; (13) 29^th/30^th June 2020 Army massacre of 30 unarmed Tiv Christians in Taraba State; (14) 23^rd August 2020 Army massacre of over 30 Judeo-Christian worshippers and sports activists in Emene, Enugu State; (15) 20^th night of Oct 2020 massacre of over 20 defenseless protesters in Lekki, Lagos State; (16) Oct 2020 massacre by Army/Police of over 300 unarmed citizens across Nigeria during the EndSARS protests including over 70 killed in Lagos and 50 killed in the Southeast, (17) Oct/Nov 2020 massacre by Army of not some 102 defenseless Igbo citizens in Obigbo, Rivers State, (18) abduction between 22^nd Oct and 10^th Nov 2020 of over 400 defenseless Obigbo residents in Rivers State and their clustered incommunicado detention in different military dungeons in Northern Nigeria, during which scores were tortured or shot dead in captivity; and (19) Jan 2021 killings by Nigerian Army in Orlu, Imo State where about defenseless residents of the area have so far been reported killed. The Orlu Army killings is led by a hateful Fulani-Hausa Muslim Army commander, named ‘Brig Gen Ibrahim Tukura’, Commandant, 34 Brigade, Obinze, near Owerri, Imo State.”

The coalition listed the “other leading perpetrators in the 19 massacres” as follows:

“(1) Retired Lt Gen Abayomi Olanisakin, former Chief of Defense Staff (co-supervised the Sept 2017 massacre of over 180 defenseless Southeasterners and maiming of over 130 others in Abia and killing of not less than 102 Obigbo residents, maiming of 120 others and abduction of over 400), (2) Retired Air Chief Marshall Sadique Abubakar (supervised the air bombing of not less than 300 Christians in Jan and Dec 2017 in Borno and Adamawa States), (3) Major Gen Ibrahim Attahiru (new Army Chief of Staff and coordinator of the massacre of 216 defenseless Easterners in 2015/6 in Anambra and Abia States), (4) Retired IGP Solomon Arase and Retired IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (co-supervised the massacre of over 400 defenseless Easterners on 30^th August, 2^nd and 17^th Dec 2015, 18^th and 29^th Jan, 9^th Feb and 29^th and 30^th May 2016 in Anambra and Abia and 20^th Jan and 11^th-14^th Sept 2017 in Abia and Rivers States), (5) Retired Director Musa Daura (former DG, SSS and state intelligence provider in referenced massacres that took place in 2015, 2016 and 2017) and (6) Major Gen Adamu Baba Abubakar, (former GOC, 82 Division, Enugu and coordinator of the massacre of over 180 defenseless Easterners in Sept 2017), (7) Major Gen Lasisi Adegboye (current GOC, 82 Division, Enugu and formerly a principal staff officer of the Division and co-coordinator of the massacre of over 180 defenseless Easterners in Abia State in Sept 2017).

“The rest are: (8) Major Gen Abdul Kalifa Ibrahim (former Brigade Commander, 14 Brigade, Ohafia and co-coordinator of the massacre in Sept 2017), (9) Major Gen John Enenche (former Defense Headquarters Spokesman and co-supervisor of the massacre of 180 defenseless Easterners in Sept 2017), (10) Brig Gen Isa Maigari Abdullahi (former Commandant of 302 Artillery, Onitsha and coordinator of the 2^nd and 17^th Dec 2015 and 29^th and 30^th May 2016 massacre of over 180 defenseless Easterners in Anambra and Delta States, (11) Retired DIG Jabila Joshak (9^th Feb 2016 Aba massacre), (12) Retired AIG Hosea Karma (2016 World Igbo Day massacre in Anambra and Delta), (13) Retired DIG Anthony Ogbizi (Sept 2017 massacre in Aba, Umuahia, etc), (14) AIG Babatunde Johnson Kokumo (2016 World Igbo Heroes Day massacre in Anambra), (15) Major Gen I.H. Bature (Sept 2017 massacre in Aba, Umuahia, etc), (16) Major Gen Enobong Okon Udo(supervisor of 20^th Jan 2017 pro Trump rally killing of 20 defenseless citizens in Port Harcourt, Rivers State), (17) Brig Gen Sagir Musa (co-supervisor in the killings of Dec 2015 to Sept 2017 in Anambra and Abia), (18) Col Umar Sidi Kasim (Commanding Officer, 144 Battalion, Asa in Abia State and coordinator of the 9^th Feb 2016 and Sept 2017 massacres in Aba, Umuahia, etc), (19) Col C.O. Ibrahim (Onitsha Cantonment Military Police Officer and troop commander of the 29^th and 30^th May 2016 World Igbo Heroes Day massacre in Anambra and Delta), (20) Govs William Obiano and (21) Victor Ikpeazu of Anambra and Abia States (mobilized and funded the 2016 World Igbo Heroes Day massacre in Anambra and the 9^th Feb 2016 and Sept 2017 massacres in Aba, Umuahia and others), etc. The office immunities of the two Govs will elapse on 17^th March 2022 and 29^th May 2023 respectively.”

On its recommendations, the coalition said:

• It is our strong recommendation that the named perpetrators especially Retired Lt Gen Tukur Buratai must face prosecution and life jail at ICC or in national courts in any foreign country operating int’l criminal jurisdictions on crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.
• We also call for a harvest of civil suits against the perpetrators by human rights lawyers and victims of the horrendous crimes under reference
• Members of the international community especially the western democracies and the UN as well as international human rights organizations and institutions are particularly called upon to take diplomatic and advocacy notice of the named perpetrators and their atrocity crimes. This is for purpose of holding them judicially accountable and ensuring that they end up being int’l pariahs.
• The int’l Governments and Intergovernmental agencies should ensure that the perpetrators are declared “persona non gratae” including slamming them with appropriate international sanctions.
• Sanctions against them should include making them ineligible in all regional and international military, policing and other security or diplomatic engagements especially those involving corporate and individual or intergovernmental consultancies, contracts, partnerships, exchange visits, awards, presentations, board or institution appointments, holidays, etc.
• Other non judicial sanctions being recommended against the perpetrators include denying them and their family members visas, freezing their accounts and seizing or confiscating their assets abroad, etc.

It is also our expert information that the perpetrators especially Lt Gen Tukur Buratai can be arrested and taken into custody in foreign land and criminally charged through the instruments of municipal, active personality, passive personality and universal or international criminal jurisdictions or be sued through the instruments of civil claimant litigations, etc.

Those who signed the statement on behalf of the 25 coalition members are:

• Emeka Umeagbalasi (M.Sc.), Board Chair, Int’l Society for Civil Liberties & Rule of Law
• Prof Anthony Ejiofor-Chairman, World Igbo Congress (USA)
• Prof Uzodimma Nwala-President, Ala-Igbo Dev Foundation (ADF)
• Prof Justice Chidi-President, Concerned Elites for Better Society Initiative
• Prof Justin Akujieze-President, Ekwenche Research Institute (USA)
• Moses Nwaigwe-President, Biafra Genocide Survivors Group (USA)
• Austin Okeke, Esq.-Global Leader, Igbo Board of Deputies (UK)
• Kanayo K. Odeluga, MD., MPH-Executive Director, Igbo League, Inc.(USA)
• Mercy Alu, MBA, PhD-Executive Coordinator, the Int’l Association of African Authors & Scholars (USA)
• Onyenkachi Orjiako, Esq.-Rep, Int’l Society for War Against Lawlessness (USA)
• Okezie Kelechi-ED, Neighborhood Environment Watch Foundation
• Jerry Chidozie Chukwuokoro-Rep, Int’l Solidarity for Peace & Human Rights Initiative
• Comrades Chilos Godsent & Zulu Ofoelue-Reps, Igbo National Council
• Ezekwike Chekwube Violet, Esq.-Founder, New Home Mentoring & Dev Initiative
• Comrade Aloysius Attah-Chair, Civil Liberties Organization, Southeast
• Maazi Tochukwu Ezeoke, President, Igbo Ekunie Initiative
• Comrade Justine Ijeoma-ED, Human Rights Social Dev & Environmental Foundation
• Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme-Chair, Civil Liberties Organization, Anambra State
• Comrade Peter Onyegiri-ED, Center for Human Rights & Peace Advocacy
• Comrade Alex Olisa-Rep, Southeast Good Governance Forum
• Comrade Nnana Nelson Nwafor-ED, Foundation for Environment Rights Advocacy & Dev.
• Comrade Nkwocha Anozie-ED, Initiative for Ideal Dev & Emancipatory Leadership
• Comrade Emeku Uche-Rep, Easy-life Initiative for Rural Youths
• Comrade Samuel Njoku-Chair, Human Rights Organization of Nigeria
• Comrade Ngwobia O. Ngwobia-Rep Primate Salvation Initiative