THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA 2005 - UNDP Nigeria ...

THE ROLE OF VARIOUS GROUPS IN THE CRISESSecurity AgenciesThe police would seem to be worst culprit in the massive violations of human rights that occurred inOnitsha following the total breakdown of law and order during the June crises. From June 17, there wasindiscriminate killing and arrest of citizens, mostly youths, accused of being MASSOB members orsympathizers. In most cases the police would swoop on gatherings of youths or search house to house,rounding up youths who were accused of being MASSOB members. While some were executedsummarily, others were forced to buy their freedom with money. Those that could not afford to pay weretaken to police stations where they underwent various kinds of harrowing experiences duringinterrogation. This was the testimony of several witnesses who were interviewed in the course of thisresearch. Many witnesses also told of several unprovoked killings by the police and soldiers during thecrises. For instance, on Tuesday, June 27, 2006, two young men identified as MASSOB members wereshot and killed along Port Harcourt Road, Fegge Onitsha. Another witness said that he saw about eightunidentified corpse at Fegge the same day. There were also reported killings in Ihiala, Anaekwe,Ukpor,Ofili and Akaokwa Streets and also at Port Harcourt Road, all in Onitsha. On June 30, 2006, fourunidentified persons between the ages of 25 to 30 were killed at Alor Street by Ukpor Street in Onitsha.Residents said that the young men were brought out of a Mitsubishi L300 in front of No. 23 Alor Streetby men of the mobile police and soldiers. They were brought out of the vehicle and shot point blank.Their corpses were loaded back into the same vehicle and taken to an unknown location. Two otheryoung men between the ages of 25 and 30 were also killed on the same day at Ozubulu Street FeggeOnitsha. They were all residents of No. 61 Ozubulu, Street Fegge.Apart from widespread extra judicial killings of suspected MASSOB members and sympathizers,security operatives, mainly members of the Mobile Police Unit and the Joint Military/Police teamengaged in widespread extortion, torture and humiliation of citizens. There were about five checkpointsbetween Onitsha Bridge and Upper Iweka, a distance of about two kilometers. This securityarrangement was replicated across the city. These roadblocks became an avenue for extortion,harassment and torture of innocent citizens. It was at these checkpoints that some of the worstatrocities were perpetrated. For instance, on June 30, 2006, eight youths between the ages of 30 and40 were rounded up by a team of mobile policemen at one of these checkpoints on Port Harcourt Road.They were stripped naked by the policemen and made to roll in muddy stagnant water in a gutter. Theywere forced to drink the contaminated water from the gutter, then, their bodies were lacerated withknives and rubbed with powdered teargas.According to Comrade Mark David Mark, MASSOB Assistant Director of Information, 22 MASSOBmembers and 12 other persons were killed in Fegge, Onitsha South Local Government area; 36MASSOB members and 11 other persons in Akpaka forest at Onitsha North Local Government Area;28 members and 11 none members were killed and 17 taken away at Idenmili North Local GovernmentArea. Also killed were 42 members in Okpoko, Ogbaru Local Government Area. 22 members and 17none members were also injured in the same area. Members of MASSOB in Nnewi, Awka, Nsugbe,Odekpe, Ekwulobia­Okoh,Awkuzu, Aguleri and Umuleri also suffered casualties. MASSOB alleged thatabout 280 of its members from the above mentioned areas were arrested by soldiers, taken to the armybarracks, slaughtered and given mass burial. 8Some on this list, according to MASSOB leaders include Mrs Chioma Uwa, a pregnant woman killed atNo. 53 D­ line Okoko, Onitsha, Mr John, a Motor mechanic at Okoh Youth Mechanic Workshop along8MASSOM Mourn 760,quit trouble spot in Onitsha, page 12, DAILY SUN: August 24, 200670