Human rights organisation, Amnesty International, has demanded a transparent judicial investigation into the Onitsha massacre of May 30, 2016.
The organisation made this call on Saturday, recalling how the brutal killings occurred nine years ago.
It said, “The Nigerian authorities must open a transparent and effective investigation of the Onitsha massacre of May 30, 2016, when security forces violently cracked down on peaceful Remembrance Day almost nine years ago. Nine years is too long for victims and their families to keep waiting for justice.
“The largest number of pro-Biafra activists were killed on Biafra Remembrance Day on May 30, 2016, when an estimated 1,000 IPOB members and supporters gathered for a rally in Onitsha, Anambra State. The night before the rally, the security forces raided homes and a church where IPOB members were sleeping. On Remembrance Day itself, the security forces shot people in several locations.’’
According to Amnesty International, an estimated population of 60 persons or more were killed between May 30 and 31, while about 70 sustained injuries.
“Amnesty International has not been able to verify the exact number of extrajudicial executions but estimates that at least 60 people were killed and 70 injured in these two days: May 30-31, 2016. The real number is likely to be higher,” the statement reads.
Demanding justice, Amnesty International noted that due investigation must meet international standards.
