South-East Killings: Amnesty Drops Explosive Report, Demands Justice Now
Amnesty International Nigeria has thrown down the gauntlet, demanding that South-East governors, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and security agencies step up and investigate the wave of human rights abuses and unlawful killings rocking the region. This is not just another report; this is a call to arms for accountability.
The human rights body made the move on Thursday in Umuahia, Abia State, during a high-stakes town hall on rights violations and accountability. They unveiled two damning reports: A Decade of Impunity: Attacks and Unlawful Killings in South-East Nigeria and Tiger Base of Atrocities: Human Rights Violations by Nigeria Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Owerri.
What did Amnesty International reveal about the South-East?
Benedicta Ofili of Amnesty International Nigeria set the tone, declaring that the organisation gathered stakeholders to confront what she called a bitter reality marked by loss of lives, systemic silence, and a prolonged struggle for justice.
We gather here in Abia State to confront a bitter reality. Following previous launches in Lagos and Enugu, we bring this vital conversation directly to Abia.
The numbers are staggering. The first report documents at least 1,844 deaths between 2021 and mid-2023 across Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo states. These deaths happened, Amnesty says, amid a brutal crossfire involving non-state armed groups, state-backed outfits, and heavy-handed security operations.
The organisation also flagged indiscriminate raids, enforced disappearances, and unlawful killings. The kicker? Many of these incidents have not triggered any independent investigations or prosecutions.
The cycle of impunity continues without thorough, independent investigations or prosecutions, Ofili said.
The insecurity has also displaced farming communities, disrupted education, and created ungoverned spaces. Enforced sit-at-home orders have made life even harder for everyday people.
What are the allegations against the Tiger Base police unit?
Amnesty researcher Maurice Chukwu dropped the second bombshell, detailing alleged abuses at the Imo State Police Command's Anti-Kidnapping Unit, popularly known as Tiger Base. The allegations are heavy: prolonged arbitrary detention, extortion, physical torture, deaths in custody, and enforced disappearances. There are even cases where children were allegedly separated from detained mothers without official records.
These actions directly violate the Nigerian Constitution, the Anti-Torture Act of 2017, and international human rights frameworks, Chukwu said.
He is demanding investigations into all documented allegations, prosecution of suspects through fair trials, and reparations for survivors and families of victims.
This re-launch in Abia State is not merely a presentation of statistics; it is a call for accountability.
How is the Abia State government responding?
The Abia State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ikechukwu Uwanna, pushed back, insisting the state has zero tolerance for human rights violations. Represented by the Director of the Citizens' Rights Department, Chinonyere Patience Onyemenaonu, he admitted the Ministry of Justice cannot direct police operations but said mechanisms exist for addressing complaints.
When matters get to us, whether on human rights violations, what do we do? We engage the aggrieved victims. We call on them, we interview them, we hear them out, and then we make our recommendations to the Attorney General for appropriate action.
Who are the families demanding answers?
The event was gut-wrenching as relatives of alleged victims took the mic to tell their stories. Miriam Onyema said her husband, Kingsley Chinedu, was arrested on April 25, 2021, at Hospital Junction, Imo State, and has not been released despite repeated efforts. Esther Chinedu said her husband, Pastor Godspower Chinedu, was arrested in 2022, and the family has not seen him since, despite visiting several police detention facilities.
Caroline Chukwuma alleged her husband, Chukwuma Nwokike, was abducted in 2021 at St. Paul Junction, Aba, and later transferred to Abuja after she and her lawyers were denied access. Chinwendu Chidiebere said her husband, Chidiebere Ekwe, was arrested at his workshop in Aba on June 22, 2021, and taken to CPS Aba, where the family was allegedly denied access.
An elderly man, Nicolas Ejekwu, tearfully recounted the alleged arrest of his two sons, Obinna and Onyebuchi, by soldiers at his home. He claims he was later informed they had been tortured and killed, with their bodies taken to the Federal Medical Centre, Umuahia. Cecilia Nmaoche also said her son, Christian Ifeanyi, was abducted by security operatives in 2022 and has not been seen or heard from since.
These families are appealing to Amnesty International and government authorities to help locate their loved ones and ensure that anyone accused of a crime is either released or brought before a competent court.
What happens next in the fight against impunity?
Amnesty is urging lawyers, activists, community leaders, security officials, and other stakeholders to rally behind its campaign against unlawful killings and impunity in the South-East. The ball is now in the court of the authorities. Will they answer the call, or will the silence continue?