Imo Killings: Rights Group Drags Uzodinmma, Army Chief, Ex-IGP, Others To ICC

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Human rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and rule of law Intersociety, has dragged Imo state governor, Senator Hope

Uzodinma, immediate past Inspector General of police, IGP (Alkali Baba), Ex Army Chief (Faruk Yahaya), former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Lucky (Irabor), incumbent Chief of Army Staff (COAS) Major General Taoreed Abiodun (Lagbaja), and 27 Others to International Criminal Court ICC over Imo state mass killings.

The organization is also calling on the Court to Investigate the killings and Prosecution those behind the unholy act, directly or indirectly.

It disclosed that it has equally petitioned 29 world leaders and seven top United Kingdom UK officials to intervene, and stop the killings in Imo and Christians in Nigeria

It listed names Of 32 Ex/Serving Public Office Holders Dragged To ICC Over the Imo Mass Atrocities to include Gov Hope Uzodinma, Commandant General of the Imo Ebube Agu Militia (Vigilante) Group and Chief Security Officer of the State since 20th Jan 2020.

“He was also found by Intersociety’s Special Research and Investigative Report of 21st May 2023 to have aided and abetted the mass atrocities including mass murders, abductions, disappearances, acts of torture and burning down or wanton destruction of civilian houses and other properties and failed woefully to act to stop them.

“Ex/serving Imo State Commissioners of Justice/Attorneys General since January 2021. 3. Ex/serving Imo State Commissioners of Information and Homeland Security/Special Adviser(s) to the Imo Gov on Security since January 2021.

Also indicted by the group are, Commander(s) of the Imo Ebubeagu Militia (Vigilante) Group since Jan 2021, the former Inspector General of Police (Alkali Baba), the former Chief of Defense Staff (Lucky Irabor).the former Chief of Army Staff (Faruk Yahaya).

“The Chief of Army Staff (Toareed Abiodun Lagbaja) who also served as GOC of the 82 Division, Enugu in 2021/2022.

“The former Army Chief of Intelligence (Samuel Adebayo-a Major Gen)-Feb 2021-June 2023, Brigadier Gen Raymond Utsaha (as he then was), Brigade Commander of the 34 Brigade, Obinze near Owerri (2021/2022), Brig Gen M. Ibrahim (as he then was), Brigade Commander of the 14 Brigade, Ohafia, Abia State (2021/2022).

Also on the lists are, “Col Abdulsalam Abubakar Sambo (as he then was), Cantonment Commandant, 302 Artillery Regiment, Onitsha (2021/2022), Navy Commodore SH Abdullahi (as he then was), Commander of the Nigerian Navy School of Finance and Logistics, Owerrenta, Abia State (2021/2022), the Commanding Officers of the 211 Regiment of the Nigerian Air Force, Owerri (from Jan 2021-date),

“DIG Tijani Baba (as he then was), DIG in charge of the Force Bureau of Intelligence (FIB)/Intelligence Response Teams (IRT)-2021/2022. 16. CP Abutu Yaro (as he then was), Commissioner of Police, Imo State Police Command (2021/2022), AIG Habu Sani Ahmadu (as he then was), Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of FIB, Abuja (2021/2022), CP Sadiq Abubakar (as he then was), CP in-charge of IRT (2021/2022).

“DCP Adepoju Ilori (as he then was), DCP in charge of IRT (2021/2022). 20. CP Kolo Yusuf (as he then was), CP in charge of Special Tactical Squad (STS), NPF, Abuja (2021/2022), DCP Abba Kyari (as he then was), DCP in charge of IRT (Police Rapid Response Teams), Abuja (2021/2022), DCP Tunde Disu (as he then was), DCP/Commander in charge of IRT, Abuja (2021/2022), AIG Abutu Yaro (former AIG, Zone 13, Ukpor and repeat-perpetrator since 2022).

.”DIG Sadiq Bello, DIG in charge of FIB, Abuja (since 2022). 25. AIG Mamman Sandra, AIG-Zone 9, Umuahia (since 2023). 26. AIG Shuaya’u Lafia Abdulyari, AIG in charge of FCIB, Abuja (since 2023). CP Mohammed Ahmed Barde, Commissioner of Police, Imo State (since Jan 2023), Major Gen Umar Musa, former GOC 82 Division, Enugu (in 2022), Major Gen Aminu Chinade, GOC, 82 Division, Enugu (2022-date). 30. Brig Gen Sani Suleiman, 34 Brigade Commander, Obinze (since March 2022), Brig Gen Adegoke Adetuyi, 14 Brigade Commander, Ohafia (since March 2022) and Col M.B. Abubakar, Commander, 302 Artillery Regiment and General Supports, Onitsha (since 2022).

This was contained in a statment jointly signed by it’s Board Chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi (Criminologist-Researcher),

Chinwe Umeche Esquire, Head, Democracy and Good Governance

Obianuju Joy Igboeli Esquire, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law

Chidinma Udegbunam, Esquire, Head of Publicity Ndidiamaka Catherine Bernard Esquire, Head, Int’l Justice and Human Rights and Ositadinma Agu, Head, Int’l Contacts and Mobilization

“According to a 13-page document and attached others filed before the International Criminal Court (ICC) at the Hague, the Netherlands against Gov Hope Uzodinma and 31 others, ‘crimes against humanity’ are strongly being suspected to have taken place and are still taking place in Nigeria’s Imo State, covering January 2021 to May 2023 and above.

“The Criminal Complaint was filed on Monday, 19th June 2023 and addressed to Prosecutor of the ICC, Mr. Karim A.A. Khan QC, and was filed for the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) and the Families of the victims mentioned and attached, marked as “Jane Doe 1-8” by the OKEKE ATTORNEYS from South Africa, headed by Nigeria’s Barr Austin Okeke, a respected international human rights lawyer.

It said the “the filed Criminal Complaint was titled: “Notice Of Intention To File A (Criminal) Complaint And Request For The Initiation Of An Investigation Into Crimes Against Humanity In Imo State, Nigeria Pursuant To Articles 13(c), 15 and 53 Of The Rome Statute On The Basis Of Information On The Crimes Within The Jurisdiction Of The International Criminal Court “ICC”.

“The filed document further disclosed in its “Particulars Of Crimes that “there have been several extrajudicial killings, torture, physical assaults, abductions and other gross abuses of human rights in Imo State, Nigeria which include but are not limited to: incidences of murder, abduction, extortion, state-sponsored terrorism, persecution against a group or collectivity based on its political, racial, national ethnic or religious character, class criminalization and reprisal targeted against unarmed civilians (in addition to incessancy of civilian house burnings or wanton destruction of civilian homes and other properties)”.

“The submitted document also averred that the state actors in Imo State including Gov Hope Uzodinma aided and abetted and are still aiding and abetting the Imo mass murders and other conduct atrocities as well as grossly conspiring in their perpetration and perpetuation.

“It was further submitted in the document that sufficient “prima facie pieces of evidence have been found warranting invitation for investigation by the ICC over violations of the international human rights and criminal laws and norms under UN and AU Systems including the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the Conventions against Torture and Involuntary Disappearances”, etc; ratified by Nigeria and that in the instant case.

“The Nigerian organs of state and coercive and prosecutorial systems are sufficiently found to have become the instruments of such violations and as such the vehicles used to arbitrarily arrest and detain; torture, abduct, disappear, falsely criminalize, mass-murder and wantonly destroy or burn down civilian houses and other properties”.

“The filed document demanded for an end to mass killings and property violence in Imo State and investigation, arrest and prosecution of the state actors and non state actors involved including the aiders and abettors.

It further disclosed via the statement that “the filed Criminal Complaint was duly received and acknowledged by the Office of the ICC Prosecutor and referenced: “INTER-SOCIETY AND OTHERS VS HOPE UZODINMA OF IMO STATE, NIGERIA AND OTHERS”.

“Intersociety had in the referenced ‘Special Research and Investigative Report on Imo found that In 29 Months (Jan 2021-May 2023) Under Gov Hope Uzodinma In Nigeria’s Imo State: Security Forces And Allied Militias Killed 900 Unarmed Citizens, Wounded 700, Arbitrarily Arrested And Detained 3500, Extorted 1,400, Disappeared 300, Burned Down 1,200 Civilian Houses, Displaced Their 30,000 Owners And Forced 500,000 Citizens In Active Age-Brackets To Flee To Escape Being Shot And Killed Or Abducted And Disappeared In Security Custody.

“As Armed Non-State Actors: Fulani Jihadists, Counterfeit Agitators, Death Squads, Street Violent Criminal Entities, Etc, Killed 700 (400 In Captivity And 300 In Open Shootings) And Abducted 900.

“The Report was concluded and unveiled on 21st May 2023 at international media conference in Enugu in Eastern Nigeria and was widely published by most of the leading media in Nigeria including the Vanguard, Punch, Sun, This Day, the Nation, the Leadership, the Daily Telegraph, the Daily Independent, Guardian, Daily Post, African Examiner, Daily Asset and News Express, News-Band, the Nigeria-Lawyer, the Trent, West African Pilot, the Nigerian Voice and the African Independent Television (AIT) and some international news media.

“The Special Report is cardinally seeking to expose those that killed, abducted, disappeared, arbitrarily arrested and detained and tortured; those that aided, abetted and omitted to act to stop the killings, abductions, disappearances and torture; and those that were killed, abducted, tortured and disappeared. Also being sought are: when, where, how and why the killings, abductions, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture and disappearances and location and number of houses and other defenseless civilian properties burned down or wantonly destroyed and those responsible or those that aided and abetted their burnings or destructions.

“The Report also contained several sections including local, regional and international legal frameworks, lists of victims and state and non state actor perpetrators, etc.