From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Condemnations have trailed the killings of about 16 soldiers and 40 civilians in Okuama and Igbomotoru communities in Delta and Bayelsa States.
The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD-West Africa), in a statement, yesterday, by its Acting Director, Sa’eed Husaini, said the killings should be investigated.
Husaini, also, condemned what he called the ‘unprofessional conduct of officers’ who were alleged to have invaded communities and visited jungle justice on innocent residents.
Husaini said: “The killing of both soldiers and civilians is deplorable and should promptly be followed by independent investigations with the objective of bringing the alleged perpetrators of the dastardly acts to justice.
“While we condemn the actions of citizens purported to have carried out criminal attacks on the soldiers, we strongly condemn the unprofessional conduct of officers who are alleged to have invaded communities and visited jungle justice on innocent and defenceless residents, including forcing women, children, the elderly and people with disabilities to flee their homes. CDD calls for an independent investigation to ascertain the facts and hold all perpetrators on all sides to account.
“While we deeply commiserate with the families of the individuals who lost their lives, we call for restraint and the de-escalation of tension in the affected areas.
“What is required now are efforts to restore peace and ensure all those who took the laws into their hands are brought to justice. More importantly, the families of the victims, be they soldiers or civilians, need to be comforted and supported in this time of distress.”
Furthermore, National Coordinator, National Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), Emmanuel Onwubiko, told President Bola Tinubu to investigate and ascertain the veracity of the allegations by the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) about ongoing military operation in Igbomo-toru 2 community in South-ern Ijaw Local Government Area of Beyelsa State, in which 40 people were killed.
He said it was not enough for the military to dismiss similar allegations in the past few days and described any of such as mere propaganda.
Onwubiko said since the allegations had been sustained with claims of mass killings by suspected soldiers carrying out authorised internal security operations, it behooves the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria to call his military commanders to order and for the National Assembly to take immediate steps to ensure that if these allegations are factually accurate.
then those responsible must be brought before the court of law to face charges of mass murders.
He called on President Tinubu to “immediately halt the military operations and order the military chiefs to apply law-based and rights-based mechanisms to forensically investigate the identities of the exact killers of the 16 soldiers, including some senior army officers.”
He reminded the president that Nigeria runs a constitutional democracy and that the country was not a Banana Republic and if that was so, everyone must comply fully with the provisions of the Constitution, including binding provisions prohibiting state sponsored public execution and extra-legal killings under whatever guises.
“HURIWA is worried by these allegations of mass killings of civilians by alleged military operatives who are reportedly carrying out internal security operations to fish out the armed attackers responsible for last week’s assassination of 16 soldiers and army officers and we are asking the president who is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of Nigeria, to order that this insane mass murders should be halted immediately and the alleged armed security agents responsible for the mass killings arrested, investigated and prosecuted for mass killings because under no circumstances should Nigeria permit extra-legal assassinations of civilians.
“The military must comply with the rules of engagement and respect the fundamental rights of citizens during all internal security operations.
HURIWA condemned any manifestations of extra-legal execution or summary executions of civilians by security agents carrying out internal security operations because of Nigeria’s binding obligations to comply with global human rights laws, including Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of human rights.”