BIAFRA: AS DONALD TRUMP PREPARES TO TAKE CHARGE, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MUST BE LISTENED TO

US President-elect; Donald J Trump

BIAFRA: AS DONALD TRUMP PREPARES TO TAKE CHARGE, AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL MUST BE LISTENED TO

By Chima Onyekachi
November 26, 2016

There is no doubt that President Barack Obama of the United States of America has fully backed President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria in the killing of defenseless civilians. The government of Obama has assisted Buhari to bypass the Leahy’s law, which restricts weapons from the US from been acquired by countries with records of gross abuse of human right. The emergence of Donald Trump as President-elect of the United States of America has sent strong signals to the White House in Washington, that most of the current policies emanating from the Oval Office will no longer be accepted by the people of America. It was not any surprise that the US embassy in Nigeria has suddenly woken from its slumber to speak against the recent extra-judicial killings of the Shiites in Kano. The sudden condemnation of the killing of Shiites in Nigeria by the US foreign office while been silent on the killing of defenseless Biafrans is only a show of hypocrisy.

The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, have borne the brunt of the massacre of defenseless civilians, as they have been constantly targeted for extermination by the government of Nigeria. The arrest of the leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, raised tensions amongst the people of Biafra, who engaged in peaceful protest and demonstration calling for his release, as he has not committed any crime but called the attention of his people to their right to self-determination. President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria is strongly advocating for the independence of Palestine and Western Sahara but has given directive for the people of Biafra to be slaughtered and charged for treason for seeking their right to self- determination.

Moreover, Amnesty International has accused the Nigeria government of using its armed forces in the killing of thousands of peaceful Biafran protesters. The international human rights watchdog confirmed after its investigation that the Nigeria army has engaged ‘’on a chilling campaign of extrajudicial executions and violence” against the people of Biafra.

Read the Amnesty International Report on the killings here

On May 30, 2016 was the worst hit as the mass execution of Biafrans began on the eve of the commemoration of the Biafra Heroes Remembrance Day at Nkpor – Onitsha. In the dead of the night, St Edmunds Catholic Church Nkpor, was invaded by the Nigeria military while Biafrans kept vigil inside the church for their fallen heroes and heroine of the Biafra Genocide of 1967-70, live ammunitions and tear-gas were freely used against defenseless Biafrans that night. Undeterred and bloodthirsty, the Nigeria military continued its raid on innocent Biafrans on peaceful procession, shooting directly at them with intent to kill and injure. Those arrested were mostly treated to a mass execution and buried in shallow graves in the barracks and different locations. Hospitals treating injured Biafrans were raided and victims carted away with no traces of most of them till date.

Biafrans arrested by Nigerian soldiers, killed and chemicals poured on their dead bodies to avert recognition

Recall the gruesome incident that occurred at Aba National High School on February 9, 2016 as Biafrans who had gathered for prayers, were surrendered by the Nigeria military and police and directly shot at with live ammunitions and tear gas. Those arrested were murdered and their decomposing bodies later found in a burrow pit along the Aba-Port Harcourt highway. The dead bodies were bathed with corrosive chemicals to hasten decomposition and to erase every hint of recognition of the victims. There are several cases of continuous killing, maiming and arresting of innocent and defenseless Biafrans in other parts of Biafra Land. Most parts of Biafra Land are currently under invasion by the Nigeria military and Fulani herdsmen herdsmen

Nnamdi Kanu has been granted bail and was also acquitted unconditionally by courts of competent jurisdiction but Muhammadu Buhari did not obey the court orders, rather he hurriedly organized a presidential media chat to berate the judges for their rulings. Buhari has continually harassed and frustrated judges handling the case of Nnamdi Kanu, thereby engaging in judicial interference.

As the tide changes in Washington, it is expected that the US must step up its role and make sure the acquisition of weapon by the Nigeria government under Muhammadu Buhari is thoroughly investigated. Buhari has no intention in fighting the dreaded terrorist groups – BokoHaram and Fulani herdsmen but has concentrated his efforts in shooting down innocent and defenseless citizens expressing their right to freedom of expression.

Editor/Publisher: Chinwe Korie