Enugu – The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has notified the United Nations about the ruling of the African Commission on Human and Peoples Rights, ACHR, against the Nigerian government and asked the international community to prevail on President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to obey the court order.
This was contained in a statement yesterday signed by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful.
The statement read, “We, the IPOB worldwide, have today (yesterday) formally notified the civilised world about the interim ruling of the ACHR against the Nigerian government and the need for international community to prevail upon the administration of Muhammadu Buhari to abide by the rulings as pronounced.
“Buhari’s administration is infamous for persistent and habitual disobedience of court orders. They have no regard for the rule of law as evidenced by numerous instances where they have declined to obey judicial pronouncements.
“In the light of this undemocratic and dictatorial tendency of the present regime in Nigeria, we the IPOB through the office of the Directorate of State have communicated to world bodies, the need to hold Nigeria accountable to its international obligations especially its duty to honour legally binding treaties. “Without any rigorous oversight, the Buhari’s regime will treat the latest pronouncement by ACHR with the same disdain as ordinary court judgements in Nigeria.
“We firmly believe that it is the duty of the civilised world to hold brutal regimes in Africa, especially those that assumed power under the cover of democracy, to account for their actions.”
The ACHR had through its Decision on Seizure and Provisional Measures, on March 8, 2018, asked the Federal Government to rescind its decision branding IPOB and its members as terrorists as well as the proscription
It also, condemned the “arrest and lengthy detention of Nnamdi Kanu (as IPOB leader); and the lethal military attacks against his person (while he was free on bail), his family, and members of IPOB in September 2017; and which attacks led to many deaths, wounding and military arrests and detentions of IPOB members, including the troubling fact that Nnamdi Kanu has not been seen or heard from since the said attacks.”
The ACHR, while “granting provisional measures,” further stated that, “the continuing and menacing presence of armed soldiers at several checkpoints in the five states of southeastern Nigeria which has created an atmosphere of fear that many more IPOB members (including Nnamdi Kanu – if he is alive) could be shot at sight pursuant to their having been declared terrorists.”
It then asked the government “Not to take any further action so as to avoid irreparable damage to the Victim, IPOB and its members, pending the decision of the Commission on this Communication.”
Those who were copied the ACHR Decision included President of USA, the British Prime Minister, United Nations Human Rights Council, the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria, the European Commission for Human Rights Africa Union, the US Congress, the House of Commons of the United Kingdom as well as Office of the Prime Minister of Israel and Parliament of Canada among others.
By Emeka Mamah
