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Probe ‘atrocities, crimes against humanity’ under tenure of ex-service chiefs, PDP urges ICC

January 28, 2021 No Comments

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the International Criminal Court (ICC) to commence the investigation of the tenure of the outgoing service chiefs over reported atrocities and crimes against humanity committed by security operatives under their command.

The PDP also calls on the INTERPOL and other world bodies to commence processes that will lead to the prosecution as well as firm sanctions, including travel ban and freezing of assets belonging to all those involved in killings and human right abuses by security operatives under the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

In a statement on Wednesday by is spokesman, Kola Ologbondiyan, the opposition party said:

“With the exit of the accused service chiefs from office, the PDP charges ICC’s Chief Prosecutor, Ms. Fatou Bensouda, to issue official warrant in line with the court’s earlier declaration that it has enough evidence to open a full probe on alleged crimes against humanity under the outgoing commanders.”

It asked the ICC to probe “cases of extra-judicial execution of innocent Nigerians, massacre of peaceful protesters, illegal arrests and arbitrary detention of citizens in dehumanizing cells, torture and rape allegedly committed by the military under the outgoing commanders, as detailed in the reports of credible international bodies including the United States Department of State, Amnesty International (AI) and Transparency International (TI).”

The PDP added that the exiting service chiefs must be made to provide answers for the reported massacre of unarmed protesters by the military in the North-West and South-East states between 2015 and 2018, including the 348 civilians reportedly killed by soldiers in Kaduna state as well as the 347 bodies found in mass graves in the aftermath of the Zaria massacre.

“The ICC is further called upon to investigate reports of military invasion and mass shooting in communities in Borno, Yobe, Rivers, Abia, Anambra among other states where soldiers reportedly killed unarmed civilians, razed communities, burnt homes, displaced inhabitants, raped women, detained, beat up and tortured citizens in detention camps reportedly located in military barracks where deadly fumigation chemicals were allegedly used in overcrowded cells.

“Our party further implores the ICC to investigate the reported inhuman detention of thousands of Nigerian children by military operatives in the northeast camps particularly between 2017, when more than 1,600 children were reported to have been in illegal detention in cages and 2018, when the UN detailed 418 detained children. This is in addition to the no fewer than 1000 children reportedly released under negotiation by the UN in 2016.

“Also our party stands with Nigerians in demanding for a full scale investigation into the deployment of the military in the EndSARS protests, resulting in the shooting and killing of unarmed civilians at Lekki Toll gate in Lagos and other parts of the country,” PDP said.

The party had earlier on Tuesday, after President Muhammadu Buhari announced the appointment of new service chiefs, demanded for an immediate inquest into the tenure of the former service chiefs.

Lifestyle

End SARS: Court orders police to probe Davido, Wizkid, Falz, Moe, Tiwa Savage, others [Full list]

November 14, 2020 No Comments

A Magistrate Court in Abuja on Friday ordered the Police to investigate 50 End SARS protesters.

They are accused of playing active roles in the agitaion.

They include Aisha Yesufu, David Adeleke – Davido, Ayodeji Balogun – Wizkid, Deji Adeyanju, Sam Adeyemi, Ayo Sogunro, Tiwa Savage, Dipo Awojide, Folarin Falana – Falz, Modupe Odele – Moe, Feyikemi Abudu – FK.

Micheal Ajereh – Don Jazzy, Peter Okoye, Paul Okoye, Rinu Oduala, Innocent Idibia – 2baba, Kanu Nwankwo, Joe Abah, Kiki Mordi, Tope Akinyode, Adebola Williams, Yul Edochie, Bankole Wellington.

Also on the list are Oseyi Etomi, Jola Ayeye,
Japhet Omojuwa, Pamilerin Adegoke, Kelvin Odanz Adekunle Temitope, Layo Ogunbanwo, Ayodele Makun, Uche Jombo, Yemi Alade, Ojabodu Ademola.

The order to investigate the protesters was given by Chief Magistrate Omolola Akindele of the Wuse Zone 6 of the Magistrate Court.

Akindele gave the Police two weeks conclude their investigation so that trial of the case would commence.

Politics

President Muhammadu Buhari orders probe into Lekki massacre

October 24, 2020 No Comments

President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a probe into the shootings of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, mentioned this during an interview on Arise Television on Friday.

people sustained varying degrees of injuries when the Nigerian army opened live ammunition on the #EndSARS protesters Tuesday night.

Despite public outcry and condemnations from foreign countries and international organisations, Buhari did not say anything about the shootings while addressing the nation.

When asked about the silence of the president on Lekki shootings in his #EndSARS address, the minister said the president would speak after the outcome of the probe he had ordered.

He said, “For sure the president has ordered an investigation, he had a national security meeting yesterday.

“I can tell you that this is already ongoing because the president wants to have all the facts which will absolutely be made public”.

“It is important to get all the facts right before we go forward, in this case, it’s going to be difficult to hide these facts because we live in a multimedia world and we have pieces of evidence and corroboration and I think it is important to get the facts right”.

“I think that’s the path the president has towed and I am sure that when the facts are made available, this president – because he has integrity – will level with the Nigerian people about what happened on Tuesday in Lekki,” Dare said.

He explained that the Federal Government had accepted the demands of the protesters.

The minister said, “Previously, we just had lip service that SARS scrapped. For the first time, you have a presidential pronouncement that SARS has been dissolved followed by the inspector-general and then we saw quick steps thereafter.

“And I think when you look at what has happened in the past and the level of responsiveness and concrete steps, the whole five demands of the youth were wholeheartedly accepted by the president and he set up a process to implement the demands.”