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Over 1,844 People Killed Unlawfully ln The Southeast- lnternational Report

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International rights group, Amnesty International, AI, has unveiled a report chronicling chilling stories of killings in the South East of Nigeria by state and non state actors in the past 10 years.

Top officials of the group unveiled the report titled: A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South East Nigeria, in Enugu, during a press conference, attended by the media, lawyers and heads of civil society organizations.

The group’s Director, Mr Isa Sanusi, who read a text of the brief overview of key findings in the work said Nigerian authorities must investigate human rights violations in the South-East region, which happened in the past 10 years, starting from August 2015 to date.

He said: “The persistent failure of government to address the security crisis In the country’s SouthEast region has created a free-for-all reign of impunity in which numerous state and nonstate actors have committed serious human rights violations and killed at least 1,844 people between January 2021 and June 2023.

“The Nigerian authorities must begin addressing the security crisis in the south-east region by carrying out transparent, impartial and effective investigation of killings, assassinations, enforced disappearances and other atrocities committed by state and non-state actors since August 2015.

“The report: A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in Southeast Nigeria, which documents unlawful killings, torture, enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests at the hands of rampaging gunmen, state-backed paramilitary outfits, vigilante, criminal gangs and cults groups in the South-East region provides the authorities with adequate leads to open an investigation that will end the impunity and provide victims with justice.”

The group blamed the Nigerian authorities’ brutal clampdown on pro-Biafra protests from August 2015 as the genesis of the problem which they said plunged the South-East region into an endless cycle of bloodshed, which has created a climate of fear and left many communities vulnerable.

“Assassinations of prominent personalities and attacks on highways, security personnel and facilities are chilling reminders of the region’s insecurity.

“Despite the scale of the atrocities against the people, justice and adequate reparations have eluded victims of the violence.

“No one knows exactly the number of people killed in the southeast since August 2015. Many people have been declared missing or forcibly disappeared. The number of high profile killings and the consistent fear of possible attacks, anywhere and anytime, show how badly the authorities are failing to protect lives and property and ensure law and order.

“Impunity for these human rights crimes continues to have a chilling effect on the enjoyment of other human rights. The Nigerian authorities must uphold their constitutional and international human rights obligations by guaranteeing, protecting and ensuring the rights to life, physical integrity, and liberty security and safety of the people and stemming the tide of rampant insecurity in the South-East region.

“Authorities must undertake prompt, thorough, independent, impartial, transparent and effective investigations into all allegations of violations and abuses committed by state and non-state actors in the region,” Sanusi said.

The conference featured testimonies from victims. They included Palace Secretary of Lilu community; one of the communities affected by activities of separatists in Anambra State, Dr Dominic Okoli and Mr Nduka Ozor, and indigene of Agwa community in Imo State.

Ozor who gave a chilling detail of how his brother was abducted and killed stated in 2022, that the people referred to as unknown gunmen were very well known in the community, but no one dared to speak.

He broke down in the middle of his testimony, sobbing that: “November of same year, Dr Asor a famous traditional ruler from my village was abducted and killed, while Agwa police station was also burnt down.

“Property worth over N1billion was destroyed, many people disappeared. When they kill, they cut off the heads and display them in the marketplace. If they entered your shop and took what they wanted, you never dared to ask for money. We are calling on the government to ensure justice for those who lost their lives.”


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Rep. Nkwonta Facilitates With Constituents, Nigerians On Easter

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 ……

Enjons Them  To Imbibe Christ -Like  Virtues

The Member, representing Ukwa East/West Federal Constituency and Chairman, House Committee on South East Development Commission (SEDC), Hon. Chris Nkwonta, has enjoined his Constituents and Nigerians, to imbibe the virtues of sacrifice, forgiveness, hope, patience, humility and love for humanity as exemplified by Our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the real essence of Easter Celebration.

In a statement personally signed by the Legislator, he called on his Constituents and the Christian Community in Nigeria to demonstrate Christ-like virtues of love for humanity, hope for a better future, peaceful and harmonious disposition in their dealings with one another for a United Ukwa Federal Constituency and indeed Nigeria, where brotherly love reigns amongst Citizens.

He maintained that despite the prevailing temporary economic difficulties; there is light at the end of the tunnel and strong hope for a better, improved and secured economy within a short period of time.

Hon. Nkwonta, wished everyone a hitch free and joyous Easter Celebration!

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Police, Lawyer Trade Tackles Over Killing Of Peace Moses By Hit-And-Run Convoy

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The Rivers State Police Command has declared that the tragic death of a 26-year-old lady, Peace Moses, an indigene of Akwa Ibom State, was not reported in any of its divisions or units across the state.

Peace was knocked down last Monday evening by a convoy of about 15 fast-moving vehicles around Omega Junction along Ada-George Road in Port Harcourt.

She was returning from an evening service at her church, Love Channel Christian Centre, also located along Ada-George Road, when the tragic incident occurred.

Last Thursday, a candlelight procession was organised in her honour by her friends and neighbours.

Speaking with our correspondent  in Port Harcourt yesterday, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), wondered why neighbours could not report the incident to the Police.

Iringe-Koko stated that even the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Rumuepirikom Police Division was unaware of the tragic incident.

“Probably they didn’t report any such incident to the Police Station because the DPO in charge of that area is asking me where and when the incident occurred.

See, if they don’t report cases to the Police, how would the Police know? We are not magicians. I just spoke with the DPO, and she said she is not aware of anything like that.

“Somebody needs to report or anyhow, information needs to get through so that we too will get it,” she said.

But reacting to the claim by the Police, a human rights lawyer, Courage Nsirimovu, said that, with or without a report on the tragic incident, the Police are duty-bound to investigate the matter.

Nsirimovu said: “The duty of the Nigerian police is to secure lives and properties, and where a life has been lost in such grievous circumstances, the police have a duty to investigate the matter on the basis of their mandate and the public need to prevent such a menace to human life.

“The Police have a duty to investigate the matter, with or without a petition.”

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Nigerians may seek third term for Tinubu – Oluwo

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The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, on Sunday said many Nigerians might seek a constitutional amendment to allow President Bola Tinubu to remain in office beyond two terms.

The monarch, in a congratulatory message by his spokesperson, Ibrahim Alli, to celebrate Tinubu’s 74th birthday, described the President as a decisive leader who has laid a renewed foundation of hope for the country.

“Many Nigerians may beg for a constitutional review for Tinubu to spend more than two terms in office. He is a leader who knows what he is doing,” he said.

Oluwo said the President had distinguished himself through what he described as a firm campaign against illegalities that had stalled the country’s economic growth.

He added that the President’s administrative prowess had driven notable gains, citing improvements in the naira, a rise in foreign reserves from about $1bn to between $49.5bn and $50.45bn as of late February/March 2026, and strengthened economic indices.

The monarch attributed the gains to structural reforms, including exchange rate unification, increased oil output and higher foreign investment inflows.

Oluwo also commended Tinubu for granting local government autonomy, increasing allocations to states, expanding road infrastructure and improving palliative distribution at the grassroots.

According to him, past leaders attempted similar economic reforms but were overwhelmed by public and political pressure.

He said only a capable leader could implement tough but necessary decisions to reposition the economy.

‎Oluwo added that the President’s policies had begun to impact the standard of living, noting that the next phase would be stability.

‎He said, “You are not yet a capable leader until you make decisions and stand by them. Many past presidents attempted to remove obstacles to economic prosperity but were overrun by public outcries. Tinubu has demonstrated uncommon leadership through reforms.

‎“Nigeria’s foreign reserves have increased to over $49.5bn from about $1bn. Local government autonomy is taking effect, states earn more, and road projects, including Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road and Sokoto-Badagry, are ongoing.”

 

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