…names of atrocity crimes chief perpetrators in Nigeria involving sixteen massacres have risen to 50 since August 2015

Onitsha, Eastern Nigeria: Tuesday, 3rd November 2020

‘’My brothers (referring to Intersociety leadership), I have been trying hard to locate you guys, my name is…., your fellow Igbo brother and a retired Commissioner of Police. There is this particular statement issued by your Organization when I was …State Commissioner of Police. It was a press statement countering my order for deployment of police personnel back to roadblocks following the resurgence of ‘armed robbers’ and ‘kidnappers’ in the State. Your statement not only attacked my directive but also called it a clear act of insubordination; that it undermined then IGP, M.D. Abubakar’s order for dismantling of most of the roadblocks across the country particularly in the Southeast. Today, after my meritorious retirement, that single statement of yours has earned me an international pariah status to the extent that wherever I go to apply and submit my CV for international consultancy engagements and related others, those in charge will open their drawers or computers to show me a copy of that publication, putting a big dent on my person and records. Please what will it take to get the publication deleted or removed from ICT circulation or countered?’’

The above was a phone based lamentation of a retired Commissioner of Police who left office in July 2014 and contacted Intersociety around 2015 or 2016. Retired IGP, Mohammed D. Abubakar, remains the only IGP in Nigeria who made skeletal police roadblocks as his major policy direction. This followed a country-wide investigation and finding by Intersociety that “there are (were) over 3,500 police roadblocks across the country with Southeast playing host to over 1,500; which illicitly yielded the NPF’s corrupt personnel N53b in three years or 2009-2011. Today, there are over 3,000 police roadblocks in the Southeast alone, illicitly yielding at least N30, 000 per roadblock daily or N90m per day, N2.7b monthly and N32.4b yearly.

Our decision to revisit the above, therefore, is to remind the chief operators of today’s Nigerian rights abusive security establishments that not only that judgment day awaits every chief perpetrator of grisly or atrocity crimes against humanity and property but also such justice must include moral or integrity and physical or judicial justice. As a matter of fact, Intersociety does not wish any senior or combat officer of the Nigeria Police Force or Armed Forces or Intelligence Services or a sitting top public office holder (.i.e. Gov or Minister) to be profiled or have a place in the research records compiled by rights groups and research institutions to track public office holders’ conduct atrocities such as genocide or crimes against humanity or war crimes or massacres or ethno-religious cleansings and related others.

We have also been calling our friendly senior service officers in the Army, Navy, Air Force, NPF, SSS, NIA and politically appointed persons at Ministerial Quarters or elected persons at Government Houses; advising them strongly to always steer clear, in the course of discharging their appointed or delegated duties, from getting involved in grisly crimes against humanity or ‘industrial scale’ human rights abuses and violations. However, we shall have zero sympathies for those who get involved or get their names profiled.

We shall join in local and global campaigns to get them, both retired and serving senior members of the Nigerian security establishments and public office holders to be slammed with appropriate international sanctions or isolations including being blacklisted (inclusive of their family members) and made ineligible in all regional and international military, policing and other security or diplomatic engagements involving corporate, individual or intergovernmental dealings such as consultancies, contracts, honours, scholarships, partnerships, exchange programs, speech deliveries, academic appointments, visa denials or withdrawals, freezing of their accounts and seizure or confiscation of their assets and mansions abroad, etc. These are in addition to ensuring that they face civil and criminal lawsuits locally and internationally at times and places considered appropriate and convenient.

We Welcome COAS’s “Spending The Rest Of My Life In Nigeria” Statement: Therefore, contrary to COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai’s recent directive to his principal officers “not to be afraid of being blacklisted or sanctioned internationally in the course of defending Nigeria including its ‘indivisibility’; his directive is remorseless and blanket order capable of instigating more slaughtering by soldiers of defenseless citizens especially on the grounds of their ethnicity and religion. A clear case in point is the ongoing military terrorism in Obigbo, Rivers State. The COAS statement that: “he does not mind spending the rest of his life in Nigeria” is a welcome development. We wish to add that justice for any atrocity or grisly conduct crimes chief perpetrator does not care about his or her location. The leader of Sudanese “Janjaweed” terror militia, Ali Muhammad Ali Abd-Al-Rahman (“Ali Kushayb”) was recently arrested in Sudan and taken to ICC for his genocidal role in the Darfur massacre that took place about fifteen years ago. That is to say that grisly crime against humanity, when committed or perpetrated, does not have expiring dates so long as it is forensically documented and archived.

Defining Criminal Liability Of Chief Perpetrators Of Atrocity Crimes In Nigeria:

In indicting the chief perpetrators named below, Intersociety expertly and knowledgeably holds them to account in line with the global best practices including the principles of direct and vicarious criminal responsibilities or liabilities, Direct perpetrators are those state actors that ordered, supervised and executed the killings or the massacres; facilitated or attempted to facilitate the destruction of evidence-and colluded in protecting the command structure and rank and file culprits resulting in them not being fished out and brought to justice till date. On the other hand, vicarious perpetrators are those superiors taking bureaucratic responsibility for the acts of their subordinates or, those superiors that have the “right, ability or duty to control the activities of the violators or perpetrators of the conduct atrocities or atrocity crimes, but failed or declined to do same.

In the eyes of International Criminal Law, too, the named perpetrators many of wom in charge of strategic public offices in the present Government of Nigeria are found to have grossly shown ‘unwillingness’ and ‘inability’ to fish out the perpetrators and bring them to local justice; rather they set up kangaroo probe panels to exonerate them and supervise or attempted to supervise destruction of evidence. Totaliity of these amounts to derogation of Nigeria’s regional and international commitments. They are also a fundamental breach of the Int’l Law’s Principle of Complementarity and Zero Impunity. The Complementarity Principle is a major principle enshrined in the Int’l Criminal Court’s Statute of 1998 and recognized by same to the effect that “States have the first responsibility and right to prosecute international crimes. The ICC may only exercise jurisdiction where national legal systems fail to do so, including where they purport to act but in reality are unwilling or unable to genuinely carry out proceedings or met out appropriate punishments or sanctions against the perpetrators”..

Warning Seven Igbo Govs Against “Carry Go” Deployment Of Killer Soldiers:

Intersociety is strongly warning and raising the alarm on dangerous citizens’ rights, liberty, security and safety implications of “carry go” or “licensed to kill, torture and terrorize” deployment of soldiers in old Eastern Nigeria particularly in Anambra, Delta, Rivers, Enugu, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi States. As clearly shown in the photo attached below, concerning Gov Obiano’s last week’s (seemingly) “carry go” group photo with the newly deployed soldiers in Anambra State; the named Govs have been allowing ethno-religiously unknown soldiers to be deployed in their respective States. This they do without getting such soldiers tutored at reception arenas on the need for them to steer clear of abuse or violation of human rights including sexual harassments, unlawful arrest, torture, extrajudicial killing and roadblock extortion as well as aiding or protecting jihadists’ settlements and activities in Igbo Land. The Govs also do not care to seek and know the ethno-religious composition of the soldiers being drafted including that of their leaders.

This is more so when it is now a truism that the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Navy, the Nigerian Air Force, the Nigeria Police Force and the Intelligence Agencies, etc of pre 2015 are no longer same as the present ones and their compositions; in addition to the fact that there have been credible reports of military terrorism and terrorization of defenseless citizens in Igbo Land particularly in Abia, Ebonyi and Rivers States. As a matter of fact, the three States are the flashpoints for potential military massacre this end of 2020. This was the case in Sept 2017 in Abia with over 180 were massacred in three days and Onitsha and Nkpor in Anambra and Asaba in Delta in May 2016 where over 140 were massacred.

Gov Wike: The Mighty Has Fallen

With the ongoing reign of military terror in Obigbo and environs, involving credible reports of killings, sexual harassments, house breaking, looting, mass arrests, torture and disappearances by Nigerian soldiers, Gov Nyesom Wike has not only acted like an ‘unlettered lawyer’, but also goofed unpardonably in his last week instigation of the ongoing military mayhem in Obigbo and environs. He is therefore inescapably culpable, vicariously and legally speaking. A politically conscious and lettered lawyer-Gov should not have done what he did. It is a settled law and principle that no public office holder, whether elected or appointed, has a right or power to take or order for taking away of life of another or others. The Gov should have known better both as a lawyer and a politician that the present Nigerian Army, its composition and conducts are highly questionable and far from being secularity friendly.

Apart from earning notoriety in butchering of thousands of defenseless citizens since August 2015 mostly on the grounds of their religion and tribe and provocatively denying same; the Nigerian Army has become so blood thirsty for innocent and defenseless citizens that it looks for slightest loophole or excuse or opportunity to massacre and terrorize the defenseless especially on the grounds of their tribe and religion. This time around, Gov Wike has fallen into its trap. He is also made himself a potential guest of ICC and other international justice chambers. That is to say that reasons being adduced by the Gov are utterly inexcusable, unfounded and vexatious.

Granted that unlawful killing of service personnel including soldiers and police officers and burning of public properties are totally reprehensible and condemnable, but they did not happen as an isolated incident or restricted to Rivers State alone. They not only cut across the country, but also were instigated by the Government of Nigeria, its soldiers who massacred over fifteen peaceful protesters at Lekki Tollgate and the Islamist hoodlums allied with Nigerian Government to attack and kill protesters. For all that we know, Lagos State lost more properties and citizens than Rivers State, yet heaven has not let loose. That is not to say that those behind the dastardly act in Rivers State should be spared.

Over 200 soldiers, conservatively speaking, have independently been confirmed killed this year alone by jihadist insurgents in Borno, Katsina, etc yet the areas where they were killed are still inhabited by humans, animals and properties. Jihadist Fulani Herdsmen and their patrons have renamed and occupied over 100 communities in Southern Kaduna and over 60 in Plateau State. In Igbo Land, they, aided by the military, have violently entered and occupied bushes, forests and farmlands in over 600 communities, yet Govs of those areas and Nigerian Army have not wiped them.

Therefore, Gov Wike acted extra-judicially by unlawfully and undemocratically arrogating to himself power of “investigator, prosecutor, judge and hangman”; a training and expertise he never has. His accusing fingers at the so called “IPOB” are circumstantially suspicious and politically motivated. Such accusations are nothing more than hearsay because no proper investigations have been carried out and the Gov is not a trained criminal investigator. This is more so when the riots across the country including Rivers, Lagos, Edo, Plateau, Benue and Anambra were mob in nature with simultaneous outlook. It is also militarily atrocious to levy war and terror on entire community, in the name of “searching for IPOB terrorists”. As a matter of fact, “IPOB” has become ‘a death code’ or ‘slogan of death’ used by the present Government of Nigeria to terrorize and massacre citizens of old Eastern Nigeria.

50 Chief Perpetrators Involved In 16 Military/Police Massacres In Nigeria

1. 30th August 2015 massacre of 40 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during peaceful protests in Onitsha, Enugu, Yenagoa, Uyo, Port Harcourt and Asaba: Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Retired IGP, Solomon Arase and Retired DG, SSS, Lawal Musa Daura
2. 2nd and 17th Dec 2015 massacre of 30 defenseless citizens of same faith in Onitsha. Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Retired IGP, Solomon Arase, Retired DG, SSS, Lawal Musa Daura, Retired IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (then AIG, F/OPS), Col Isa Maigari Abdullahi (then Commandant, 302 Artillery, Onitsha), AIG Hosea Karma (then CP, Anambra) and Retired CSP James Nwafor (then SARS, Anambra State)
3. 12th-14th Dec 2015 massacre of 800-1000 unarmed Shiite Muslims during their religious processions in Zaria (Government later admitted massacring 348): Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Major Gen Adeniyi Oyebade (then GOC, 1 Division, Kaduna), then Commandants/Commanding Officers of Zara Basawa Barracks & Zaria Military Depot, Zaria
4. 18th and 29th Jan 2016 massacre of 20 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during peaceful protests in Aba; and (5) 9th Feb 2016 massacre of 30 unarmed protesters in Aba. Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Retired IGP Solomon Arase, Retired IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (then AIG, F/OPS), Retired DIG (then CP) Habila Joshak (then CP, Abia), then ACP Peter Wabara (then Area Commander, Aba) and then Lt Col Sidi Umar Kasim (Commanding Officer, 144 Battalion, Ukwa)

1. 29th and 30th May 2016 massacre of 140 defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith during global Igbo Heroes Day in Onitsha, Nkpor and Asaba. Perpetrators: Gov Willie Obiano, COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Major Gen Ibrahim Attahiru (then GOC, 82 Division, Enugu), AIG Hosea Karma (then CP, Anambra), CP Johnson Babatunde Kokomo (then DCP-OPS, Anambra), then Col Isa Maigari Abdullahi (Commandant, 302 Artillery, Onitsha), Lt Col (then Major) C.O. Ibrahim (Commanding Officer, Onitsha Cantonment Military Police & leader of the operation), Retired IGP Solomon Arase and Retired IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (then AIG, F/OPS)
2. 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). Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and Commandant, Giwa Army Barracks, Maiduguri and others.
3. 7th Jan 2017 military massacre (air bombing) of 236 internally displaced persons (IDPs) at Christian IDP camp in Kala-Balge, Borno State. Perpetrators: Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique, Chief of Air Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and others
4. 20th Jan 2017 massacre of 20 unarmed protesters (pro-Trump rally) in Port Harcourt: Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Retired IGP Ibrahim Kpotum Idris (then IGP), Late CP Francis Odesanya (then CP, Rivers), Retired DCP Ahmed Magaji (then DCP, OPS, Rivers), Major Gen Enobong Okon Udoh (then GOC, 6 Division, Port Harcourt), Col Aminu Illiyasu (then Deputy Director of Public Relations, 6 Division)
5. 4th Dec 2017 massacre (air bombing) of 50 rural Christians in Numan, Adamawa State: Perpetrators: Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique, Chief of Air Staff, COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai and others.
6. 12th to 14th Sept 2017 massacre of over 180 unarmed and defenseless citizens of Judeo-Christian faith in Ogwe, Aba, Isiala-Ngwa and Umuahia, all in Abia State: Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Major Gen Adamu Baba Abubakar (then GOC, 82 Division, Enugu), Gov Okezie Ikpeazu, Brig Gen Abdul Kalifa Ibrahim (then Commander, 14 Brigade, Ohafia), Brig Gen I.H. Bature (then Commander, 34 Brigade, Obinze, Imo State), Brig Gen E.O. Anaryo, 82 Division Transport, Big Gen A.I. Adegboye, 82 Division Army Supply, Brig Gen Mark Mamman, Commander, 82 Division Army Engineering, Brig Gen Lasisi Adegboye (current GOC, 82 Division and then 82 Division Garrison Commander), Navy Capt Abdullahi Aminu (then Commanding Officer, Navy School of Finance & Logistics, Owerre-Nta, Abia State), Col Sagir Musa (then Deputy Director, 82 Division Public Relations), Lt Col Umar Sidi Kasim (then Commanding Officer, 144 Battalion, Ukwa), DIG (then CP) Anthony Ogbizi (then CP, Abia State) and combatant Utsman Mustapha (caught raining live bullets on defenseless citizens amid shouting of “kill the pigs! Kill the pigs!! Kill the pigs!!!”
7. 29th and 30th Oct 2018 massacre of 47 Shiite Muslims in Abuja. Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Brig Gen Johnson Orefin (then Commander, Defense Headquarters Garrison, Abuja) and Brig Gen Umar Musa, then Commander, Guards Brigade, Abuja.
8. 29th/30th June 2020 massacre of 30 unarmed Tiv Christians in Taraba State: Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Major Gen John Enenche, Director of Information, Defense Headquarters, Abuja, Major Gen Nuhu Angbazo, then GOC, 6 Division, Jos, Brig Gen Sani Garba Mummmad, Commander, 23 Brigade, Yola, Lt Col Sani Adamu, then Commanding Officer, 20 Battalion, Gembu and then Commanding Officer, 93 Battalion, Takum in Taraba State (Lt Col Ibrahim Babatunde Gambari?)
9. 23rd August 2020 massacre of 30 Judeo-Christian worshippers and sports activists in Emene, Enugu State: Perpetrators: CP Ahmed Abdurrahman (CP, Enugu), AIG Danmallam Mohammed (AIG, Zone 13, Awka), Mr. Obande Olotu, then Director of SSS, Enugu State, Air Vice Marshal Idi Amin, Air Officer Commanding Ground Training Command, Enugu and Major Gen Lasisi Adegboye, GOC, 82 Division, Enugu
10. 20th night of Oct 2020 massacre of over fifteen defenseless protesters at Lekki Tollgate, Lagos State: Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Lt S.O. Bello, Commanding Officer, 65 Battalion, Bonny Military Cantonment, Lagos and others to be identified.
11. Oyngoing Obigbo Army Terrorism (Massacre): Perpetrators: COAS, Lt Gen Tukur Buratai, Gov Nyesom Wike, Major Gen Olu Orefin, GOC, 6 Division, Major Charles Ekeocha, Deputy Director, 6 Division Army Public Relations and others to be identified.

Also vicariously culpable in the sixteen highlighted massacres are Mr. President and Mr. Vice President of Nigeria. See again above the legal definition of vicarious criminal liability.

Signed: Emeka Umeagbalasi, Chinwe Umeche, Esq, Obianuju Igboeli, Esq., Ndidiamaka Bernard, Esq., and Comrade Sam Kamanyaoku

Contacts: Mobile/WhatsApp: +2348174090052: Email: info@intersociety-ng.org: Website: www.intersociety-ng.org