ARMY PROBE INTO IPOB KILLINGS: You’re already compromised, Ohanaeze tells Buratai

President-general of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, has accused the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai of already being compromised despite a probe by the Nigerian Army over alleged killings of unarmed protesting groups from Southeast part of Nigeria who are agitating for separation from Nigeria.

The Amnesty international accused Nigerian security operatives of killing members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, during a peaceful protest.

While the Nigeria Army recently set up a panel of inquiry to investigate the allegation, Buratai few days ago vowed that the agitators will not get their wish for a Biafra state in this millennia.

In his reaction, Nwodo, picked holes in Buratai’s inquiry into the alleged killings, insisting that whatever is the outcome of inquiry cannot stand the test of objectivity and therefore its result would not be acceptable to the umbrella body.

Nwodo stated this in a statement he signed entitled, “Buratai, with respect you cannot be a judge in your own court.”

He said, “In Ezu River in Anambra State, twenty-one bodies floated for two months without anyone identifying them up till today. Claims that they were MASSOB members hacked down by combined Police and Army personnel remains to be investigated.

“In Aba, IPOB members were gunned down by soldiers for just gathering to hold a meeting. No investigation was done.

“In Port-Harcourt, IPOB claimed eleven of their members were gunned down by soldiers. I called for an inquiry but nothing happened. Instead further killings were done in Asaba.”

While he said that Ohanaeze is not opposed to the Army Chief carrying out an internal investigation in his service, Nwodo however noted that “the findings of such an investigation will neither be acceptable to Ohanaeze nor stand the test of objectivity until it is subjected to an impartial body.

“While I welcome the probe of the alleged killing of pro-Biafran agitators by some Nigerian military personnel by the Nigerian Army, I think that the comments by the Chief of Army Staff, Gen. Tukur Buratai have already compromised the outcome of the probe.

Read also: BIAFRA: Not in this millennium, Army chief Buratai tells agitators

“Buratai said that the agitators cannot achieve their aim in his lifetime. Buratai has put the cart before the horse, thereby destroying the legitimacy of the probe. By saying what he said, Buratai is assuming already that the killing of the agitators was justified. His statement is an overreaction to the challenge at hand,” Nwodo said.

Meanwhile, Amnesty International has argued that the inquiry into human rights abuses by the Nigerian Army should be independent of the military.

In a press statement on Thursday, Amnesty International Interim Director, Makmid Kamara said, “This commitment from the Nigerian Army to investigate human rights violations carried out by military personnel is encouraging.

“The military’s announcement indicates its willingness to bring those responsible for such violations to account, and deliver justice for the many victims.

“While this is clearly a positive step, Amnesty International repeats its long-standing recommendation that any inquiry into human rights violations by the Nigerian army should be independent of the military, impartial and thorough, and its findings made public.”

In a related development, MASSOB has vowed to disrupt any proposed rally in support of President Muhammadu Buhari’s stay in office anywhere in Igboland, Awka inclusive.

They described the rally as an attempt by Igbo politicians of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to bring “political disgrace to Igbo land.”

The group made their position known via a statement signed by its public relations officer, Comrade Uchenna Madu.

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