Indegineous People of Biafra (IPOB) in a move that looks like change of tactics has dragged the Federal Government and seven others to court seeking compensation for members who were either killed or injured by security operatives during the pro- Biafra protests in some cities in the South East recently.
Represented by the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International, the pro- Biafra group is demanding N100 million for families of each of the nine IPOB members who were killed and N50 million for each of the 18 injured ones during protests which took place on October 20 and December 2, in Onitsha, Anambra State, in Owerri, Imo State and in Ebonyi, Bayelsa, Rivers and Delta states respectively.
Joined in the suit are the President; Attorney-General of the Federation; the National Assembly; Chief of Army Staff; Inspector General of Police, Commissioners of Police in Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers states; Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and Director-General, State Security Service.
In the Motion on Notice filed before a Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, the group also sought the order of the court to declare the onslaught against IPOB members by security agencies as a crime against humanity, unlawful, cruel, inhuman and a violation of their rights to peaceful assembly, freedom of association and right to self determination.
Relying on relevant sections of the constitution, IPOB said that the action of the security agencies ran contrary to the provisions of sections 39 and 40 of the 1999 Constitution and Articles 1, IV, XIX and XX of the African Charter on Human Peoples Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act.
In the suit as filed by their lawyers, Okere Kingdom Nnamdi and Co, the Trustees of Kingdom Human Rights Foundation International prayed the court for an order ‘granting the unconditional and immediate release of members of IPOB who are in detention in prisons, police and Army custody and further restrain respondents from further harassment of the applicants who are peacefully and non-violently exercising their rights to self-determination, freedom of association and expression.”
-Emmanuel Ikechukwu
