HURIWA condemn Army’s use of torture on IPOB, demands independent judicial inquisition

A pro-Democracy and non-governmental organization, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the reported widespread use of physical torture on members of IPOB by the army.

The Rights group, in a statement issued yesterday against the backdrop of trending audio-video recordings on social media, showing extensive adoption of torture by the military operatives targeting unarmed members of IPOB, specifically selectively targeting unarmed members for being in possession of memorabilia, flags and other items.

HURIWA in a statement jointly authorized by the National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko and Zainab Yusuf the Media Director, said that torture is the greatest crime against humanity particularly if it is systematically and methodically used by the military forces during the course of internal military operation in civilian populated areas as are the cases with the ongoing internal military operations in the South East of Nigeria.

Citing several and multiple statutory provisions of the Local, Municipal and International Human Rights laws, HURIWA therefore demanded an open, transparent and independent investigation of the use of torture by the army against the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The group said that the particular video recording which shows several army operatives, forcefully kicking, flogging, pushing violently, waterboarding in muddy and dirty water, several members of IPOB who were stripped to their pants by the unprofessional military operatives, is the clearest evidence of crime against humanity which must not be swept under the carpet.

The group went on to give the federal government three working days to convoke an independent investigation into wide-spread use of torture by the army on IPOB members or it will be left with no option but to drag the Nigerian government to International Criminal Court over crimes against humanity.