By TINA TIMOTHY

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has expressed dismay that barely 24 hours after releasing an international documentary on the wanton killings in Eastern Nigeria in the last 20 months, another 14 people have been massacred and 20 abducted on Monday July 18, 2022 in Imo State.

Intersociety, in a press statement in Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria on Tuesday, July 19, 2022 signed by its principal officers; Emeka Umeagbalasi (Criminologist), Board Chair; Chinwe Umeche Esquire, Head, Democracy and Good Governance; Obianuju Joy Igboeli Esquire, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law and Chidimma Udegbunam Esquire, Head, Campaign and Publicity, said the ‘unarmed and defenseless’ victims were attending a traditional marriage in Awo-Mama community of Oru East Local Government Area of the state when the Nigerian Army-trained Ebubeagu Militia shot them at closed range leaving 14 dead and scores injured. On same day, about 20 young men were adopted in Okwudo Community, Njaba Local Government Area, labeled as “unknown gunmen” and taken away to unknown destinations by the same trained Militia, the group also said.

Part of the statement reads: “The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), Nigeria’s leading research and investigative human rights and democracy advocacy Organization is strongly condemning the 18th July 2022 massacre of 14 natives and friends of Otulu Community in Oru West Local Government Area of Imo State by Nigerian Army-allied/trained militia Ebubeagu Government Militia, controlled and funded by the Hope Uzodinma led Government of Imo State. From preliminary findings obtained by Intersociety, the 14 unarmed and defenseless citizens were shot at close range and massacred in neighboring Awo-Mama Community in Oru East Local Government Area of the State when they were attending a traditional marriage in Awo-Mama Village, called OKWUOJI. Scores of others were also injured. As if the above dastardly act was not enough, it was further reported that hours later, not less than 20 young men were abducted when the same Army-allied/trained Militia invaded a popular Betting Shop in Okwudor Community, Njaba Local Government Area of Imo State. The abducted victims were labeled “Unknown Gunmen”, blindfolded and taken away to unknown destinations till now.

“The Awo-Mama massacre of 14 and Okwudor abduction of 20 had taken place less than 24hours after the release of our International Documentary that took place in USA and United Kingdom. The int’l documentary had found that “in past 20 months or Oct 2020-June 2022, soldiers of the Nigerian Military and their allied/trained Ebubeagu Government Militia and other security agencies and agents including various police crack squads attacked 150 Communities in Eastern Nigeria, killed 1,360 defenseless citizens, burnt or destroyed 1,450 civilian homes, disappeared hundreds without traces, rendered 51,000 homeless and forced them out of their ancestral homes, burnt or destroyed or looted properties worth not less than N57billion and caused the loss of N600billion worth of trade and investments following the Eastern Military siege and atrocities.”

Intersociety consequently called for the unmasking of “the monstrous Ebubeagu government militias of Imo and Ebonyi States,” saying they are counterfeit and rather than being “anti-herdsmen invaders government vigilantes” as they claimed, “they have transformed into pro Jihadist herdsmen and anti-Eastern territory and population militia.”

The statements reads further: “The formation of the Nigerian Army-allied/trained “Ebubeagu Government Militia” has independently been found to be a counterfeit security arrangement made in April 2021 by Gov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State in his capacity as ‘Chairman of the Southeast Governors Forum’. The camouflaged Sub-National security arrangement was hurriedly imposed on the Southeast general population as “anti Herdsmen invaders Government Vigilantes”, and it was strongly opposed by Intersociety, ADF and others which saw it as pro Herdsmen invaders and anti Eastern population, territories and boundaries’ security and safety measures disguised in the contrary.

“The promoters of the anarchist and atrocious Government Militias had claimed that the outfit was formed to reclaim forests, bushes and farmlands taken over by Herdsmen invaders and ward off potential threats from them. Months after, the outfit not only began to unveil its true color and intents, but also became a channel for formation, movement and operation of fifth columnist counterfeiters that counterfeit the violent defensive activities of the Eastern Security Network and fully align themselves with lopsidedly composed and sectionalized Nigerian security forces to massacre defenseless Eastern citizens and destroy or burn or loot or pillage their properties with reckless abandon and impunity. The outfit also became conformist channels through which fifth columnist counterfeiters and invading Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen invade and occupy Eastern forests, bushes and farmlands. In other words, the anarchist and atrocious “Ebubeagu Government Militia” have transformed into pro Jihadist Herdsmen and anti Eastern territory and population militia. This is to the extent that they, in alliance with conventional security forces such as Army and Police personnel and their top commanders drafted to Eastern Nigeria, have been responsible for several hundreds of abductions and disappearances as well as thousands of property (defenseless civilian houses and properties) burnings, killings and maiming in the past 20 months and 18 days or Oct 2020 to 18th July 2022.

“The Int’l Documentary is attached here: https://youtu.be/RehqzLpkjeQ”.