The Indigenous People of Biafra has rejected investigations initiated by the Nigerian Army into the alleged extrajudicial killing of unarmed Biafra activists in Aba, Abia State.
About 10 IPOB members were reportedly killed when troops opened fire on them during the agitation for the release of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in February.
There were also reports that about 30 other members of the group sustained serious injuries during the incident.
The Amnesty International had condemned the development, accusing the army of ‘excessive use of force’ against the pro-Biafran activists.
Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, had on Thursday in Enugu, said the army had commenced investigations into the alleged extrajudicial killings.
However, reacting to the development, IPOB said the army lacked the moral authority to conduct a credible investigation into the incident.
In a statement jointly signed by its spokesmen, Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Iroanya, IPOB said the International Criminal Court should investigate the extrajudicial killings.
The Biafra secessionist group noted that the army was the ‘aggressor’ in the matter, a situation which it said could lead to ‘conflict of interest’ in the investigations.
“The Indigenous People of Biafra do hereby demand the convocation of an impartial investigative team and not the group hurriedly set up by the Army Chief considering that the Army is the aggressor in this case.
“We further assert that the only credible entity which can carry out in-depth investigation is the International Criminal Court in The Hague.
“The so-called investigating team arranged by the Chief of Army Staff is fundamentally riddled with conflict of interest and lacks the moral compass to conduct quality investigation in a case of this magnitude.
“Therefore, the United Nations Human Rights Commission and other allied organisations should intervene and work with the ICC to conduct a thorough investigation now that the Nigerian Army through Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai has confessed that they actually shot and killed unarmed Biafrans at Aba on the February 9, 2016,” IPOB said.
IPOB added that Buratai’s revelation that the Army was investigating the incident amounted to a confession that Biafra activists were extrajudicially killed in Aba.
It would be recalled that, while fielding questions from journalists on Thursday after addressing officers and men of the 82 Division, in Enugu, Buratai had said the Army was investigating the alleged extrajudicial killings.
“We are already investigating it. When such incidents involve the loss of lives, we usually conduct an investigation – that is our procedure,” the army chief said.
Buratai, however, said he believed soldiers could not have opened fire on the activists without provocation.
He said, “We have our rules of engagement. The troops cannot just open fire.”
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