Amnesty International (AI) has said the whereabouts of over 200 members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, #EndSARS protesters and security suspects are not known.
AI made the allegation in Lagos on Monday, in a press statement titled ‘Nigeria: Authorities Must End Enforced Disappearance’.
The organisation alleged that some of the victims “disappeared” after they were arrested by the police, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Nigerian soldiers.
It said families affected by enforced disappearance live through unimaginable torment.
“The Nigerian government must urgently address the heinous crimes of enforced disappearances, to comply with Nigeria’s international law obligations, Amnesty International said today, on the International Day of Support for Victims of Enforced Disappeared,” the statement reads.
“Nigerian security forces’ attempts to clamp down on IPOB) militants have led to arbitrary arrests, detentions, enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions in the South-East and Niger Delta areas of Nigeria. The whereabouts of at least 50 suspected members of IPOB arrested in Oyigbo, Rivers state are still unknown since their arrest in October and November 2020.
“Fifteen-year-old Emmanuel John was arrested by soldiers when they raided a synagogue at Oyigbo in Rivers state on October 2020 in search of members of the Indigenous People of Biafra. His family members have searched for him without success. His whereabouts remain unknown.
“The cases of at least 200 people – including former militants from Niger Delta, members of IPOB, #EndSARS protesters and security suspects believed to have been subjected to unresolved enforced disappearances in Nigeria have been documented by Amnesty International – The real number is believed to be higher.
“Nigerian security forces often sight the anti-terror law introduced in that allows the authorities to hold people without charge or trial in unofficial places of detention, often without contact to the outside world in practice, clearly increase the risk of people disappearing after being detained.
“Not only these tragic disappearances but also the government’s continuing failure to establish the truth and bring justice to their families, are growing stains on Nigeria reputation. Scores of disappearance cases such as this remain unresolved and cast doubt on the Nigerian government’s commitment to keeping its own citizens safe.
“The authorities must demonstrate zero tolerance for such crimes. They must take immediate action to end enforced disappearances and other serious violations, carry out independent, impartial and effective investigations, and prosecute those in the security forces suspected of responsibility in fair trials.”
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