It’s Wrong To Attribute Imo Killing To IPOB – Ejiofor Tells Amnesty Intl

Counsel to the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has condemned the killing of citizens in Okigwe, Imo State, by armed criminals.

Ejiofor, however, faulted Amnesty International’s attribution of the act to IPOB. He expressed worry that Amnesty International did not wait for the security report on the killing before accusing IPOB.

Naijaonpoint reports that Ejiofor stated this in a statement on Monday. He stressed that the group’s report did not align with expected standards of a globally respected human rights organization.

IPOB‘s lawyer called for a thorough investigation into the killing to ensure the victims get deserved justice and the perpetrators are brought to book.

It read: “In light of the recent hasty statement issued by Amnesty International (Nigeria) on the Okigwe killings, it is imperative to underscore the need for a thorough, impartial, and evidence-based investigation. The quick attribution of the killings to IPOB, without exhaustive verification, raises serious concerns about the integrity and neutrality of the report. This approach does not align with the expected standards of a globally respected human rights organisation.

“It must be unequivocally stated that no individual or authority, regardless of their constitutional powers, is permitted to take another’s life outside the due process enshrined in Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended). The sanctity of human life must remain inviolable.

“I therefore strongly condemn, the killing of innocent travellers by yet to be identified heartless perpetrators – beasts in human form who have lost every connection to humanity. I call on Nigerian’s security agencies to promptly and meticulously investigate these heinous crimes and ensure that those responsible are identified, apprehended, and prosecuted according to the law. The security agencies should stop paying lip service as they often do, and actually conduct a thorough investigation into these dastardly and wanton killings.

“It is imperative that national and international stakeholders demand a credible, unbiased, and fact-driven investigation into the Okigwe killings. The loss of innocent lives must not be politicized or sensationalized. Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done, both to honour the victims and to safeguard the rule of law in our democracy.

“Only the truth, firmly established through rigorous investigation, can pave the path to justice and lasting peace.”