Security Forces and Allied Militias killed 900 unarmed citizens, Extorted 1,400 under Gov. Hope Uzodinma in 29 months Between Jan 2021-May 2023 — Intersociety

Security Forces and Allied Militias killed 900 unarmed citizens, Extorted 1,400 under Gov. Hope Uzodinma in 29 months Between Jan 2021-May 2023 — Intersociety 

■ Twitter: @umuchiukwu

■ 23th May 2023 

The International Society for Civil Liberty and Rule of Law (Intersociety) on 21st May 2023 made comprehensive reports concerning the killings, arbitral arrests, and disappearances of civilians in Imo State.  

The human rights group headed by Emeka Umeagbalasi Board Chairman and its board members during a press conference in Enugu released 33 pages of atrocities happening in Imo State under Gov Hope Uzodinma in a program tagged 'war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other Int'l atrocities overrun the Imo State of Nigeria, and with two major sub-headings:

1. In 29 months (Jan 2021-May 2023) under Gov. Hope Uzodinma, Security Forces and Allied Militias Killed 900 Unarmed Citizens, Wounded 700, Arrested 3500, Extorted and Freed 1,400, Disappeared 300, Burned Down 1,200 Civilian Houses, Displaced 30,000 Owners, and Forced 500,000 Citizens in active age brackets being Shot And Killed Or Abducted And Disappeared By Security Forces.

2. Armed non-state actors (Fulani Jihadists, Counterfeit Agitators, Death Squads, Street Violent Criminal Entities, Etc.) killed 700 (400 in captivity and 300 in open shootings) and abducted 900.

Speaking during the program, the human rights group reported that in a shocking display of brutality, security forces, and allied militias, under the leadership of Gov. Hope Uzodinma, have mercilessly killed 900 unarmed citizens and left many more wounded in just 29 months between January 2021-May 2023.

However, they maintained that the Nigerian army and other state actors were majorly behind the crimes and atrocities in Imo State and the South East in general.  

The controversial Supreme Court verdict the root cause of the Imo whereby the Supreme Court of Nigeria on 14th Jan 2020 installed the present governor and government of Imo State after awarding victory to a fourth-place finisher in the March 2019 Imo governorship poll by upholding controversial results from 388 polling units never captured or reflected in the INEC's official records. 

Mass murder was recorded In January 2020 resulting in 600 citizens being secretly killed by armed state actors in Imo and 300 dying In open shootings.

Furthermore, they reported that from  January 2021-May 2023, armed state actors attacked and razed 280 synagogues and 300 traditional sanctuaries in Imo, Excessive class criminalization, and reprisals were also behind mass murders and house burnings in Imo. 1,500 of the arrested 3,500 citizens are still being held, 600 have been killed, and 1,400 have been extorted and released. 

13 of every 15 people killed openly in Imo are unarmed, and 15 of every 15 people killed secretly are unarmed.

Imo has been home to eight violent non-state actor entities since January 2021. 95% of Investigations Into "Biafra matters" in Imo inconclusive, the human right report Stated.

In other words, criminal 'bail fees' imposed and forcefully collected from each of the "freed" detainees range from N300,000, N500,000, N1m to N5m (as the case may be). 

Accordingly, it must also be pointed out that the Nigeria Police Force is the most atrocious and its crack squads involved include IRT (Intelligence Response Teams), STS (Special Tactical Squads), Anti Terrorism, Anti Kidnapping, Anti Cultism, RRS (Rapid Response Squad), SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics Teams)  and the Anti Robbery Squads of the Imo State police command. 

Residences and communities and other social settings including sporting, funeral, Christian night vigils and funeral wake-keep, cultural and meeting arenas and palaces of traditional rulers, and church compounds have severally come under invasions or raids by security forces. Attendants of such social functions are arrested en mass and tagged "IPOB/ESN/Unknown Gunmen/supporters/sponsors". 

Scores of them are killed or wounded during such invasions or raids or shot and killed after attacks by non-state actors; are on several occasions consumed including hanging around their bodies or necks Biafra flags/cloths/bangles, etc. 

Un-prohibited firearms such as single/double barrel and pump action guns, cutlasses, fake charms, and military and police camouflages are usually placed on top of their dead bodies, to falsely portray them publicly as "ESN/IPOB/Unknown Gunmen killed in a gun duel. 

This heinous act of violence is a clear violation of human rights and cannot be tolerated. Those responsible for these atrocities must be held accountable for their actions.

The human rights group further explained that a group they described as counterfeit Biafra agitators fueled the mass killing in Imo and other Igbo States especially those in Finland, other countries, and Nigeria that called for 5 days to Sit at home, using armed criminals to enforce it.

In conclusion, the group made it known that they'll forward all their report to the International Criminal Court and international communities for justice to be served against those that are involved in human these gross human rights violations.