March 01, 2017
By Ogu Edozie Williams
In the military, when professionalism is evitable, unlawful conducts are inevitable. And also in a country, when the purpose of the army is not known, abuse is inevitable.
In the Nigerian state, the level of professional conduct in the military is far deteriorated, its depreciation has risen exponentially since the installation of Gen. Muhamadu Buhari as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces. It is just to attest to the fact that when the head is sick, the body evidently displays it.
The Nigerian state is full of atrocities, abuses of human rights and contempt to the rule of law. From the number one citizen of the Nigerian state to its institutions, the trajectory of professional decline, which is consequential to the divergence of atrocity perpetrations, is assuming an exponential rise.
This trend of lawlessness and neglect to the rule of law has degenerated to the stage where the military would abandon their duty posts and start chasing and shooting, with the intention to kill, unarmed peaceful pro-Biafran activists who pose no threat to anyone. But the reason for such crimes against Biafrans is not far fetched.
Recall that the Nigerian state is a union of people with divergent ways of life, beliefs, traditions and culture. Remember that this union is not from God but from Frederick Lugard who was securing and advancing Britain's vested interest in Africa.
The biblical verse that says "What God has joined together, let no man put asunder " simply does not apply to the Nigerian state since it was unfortunately concocted by a man. And since it is this way we rephrase it to "What man has joined together, let God put asunder".
Since the state came into being through coercion, it is, therefore, only through force that it can be kept together. Hence the major reason behind the chilling onslaughts against pro-Biafran activists is because these activists are pushing for the asunder of what man put together.
Although too much onslaught has been unleashed against Biafrans in order to keep Nigeria one, there are much more onslaughts perpetrated against Biafrans whose intent can not be seen as attempts to keep Nigeria one but are inherent characteristic features of an ethnic group in the Nigerian state that practises violence against non-religious groups as a way of life which heightens the agitation for a Biafran state.
The pro-Biafran activists would not have ventured into their long and recently renewed agitation for a Biafran state had the Nigerian state been an abode for human beings. But unfortunately, the state is more like a ranch; and the Nigerian armed forces as well as the Hausa-Fulani terrorists, like the cattle feeding on grasses in a ranch, have been feeding on the blood of unarmed peace-loving Biafrans.
It is in the public domain that it was the systematic annihilation of Biafrans which started in a massive massacre of Biafrans in the north from 1945 that led to the Biafran genocidal war of 1967-1970.
It is regrettable to see now that the same Hausa-Fulani, who controlled the military of 1960s where there was much corruption as well as unprofessionalism which brought about much friction, coup and consequential war, are still the ones piloting the jet of brutal massacres of unarmed peaceful Biafrans who "pose no threat to anyone" ( according to Amnesty International ); yet they still gravitate to the unprofessional omen of denial of such crime (when they are obviously undeniable) which is a characteristic conduct of uncivilized people.
The Nigerian Army, since the installation of the tyrant, Gen. Muhamadu Buhari as the president of the Lugardian empire called Nigeria, has shot live bullets which led to the death of no fewer than 150 people (according to Amnesty International), in no fewer than 5 occasions, on pro-Biafran activists who either were on evangelism, creating awareness on the Biafra agitation as was the case of 30th August, 2015; or picketing at head-bridge, Onitsha; or protesting the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB; or celebrating the order for the release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu by Justice Ademola Adeniyi, of 17th December, 2015; or holding a prayer session at Aba; or celebrating their Heros' Day at Nkpor on the 29th / 30th of May 2016; and most recently rallying in solidarity with Trump on his day of installation, 20th January, 2017, as the 45th POTUS.
In all those shootings and killings, with pictures and videos evidences, it's disappointing that the Nigerian Army has denied blatantly their involvement in such crimes despite Amnesty International reports indicting the army. And the Federal Government of Nigeria shielding and supporting its soldiers in such heinous acts, says through its Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, that such facts of brutal murder of Biafrans are a figment of people's imagination as he dispelled such as "fake news".
Apart from the broad-day shootings and killings, the Nigerian army has also carted IPOB members, during such rallies or meetings, to unknown destinations; and most times to their barracks where they are reportedly given mass burials.
But in these shootings and killings with evidences in the public domain, which attract condemnation from every good hearted person or group in Nigeria and abroad, including those who do not support the Biafran struggle, the Nigerian army has been incapable of refuting such atrocities instead it has only employed mere oral denial(without evidence to substantiate their innocence) which is the same attitude put up by the Nigerian president's handlers in putting up photoshopped pictures of the president and some people, thereby unable to refute the fact that Buhari is either dead or incapacitated.
While the Nigerian army is shooting, killing and burying pro-Biafran activists, thinking that IPOB and the civilized world are incapable of bringing them to justice, let them bear in mind this proverb that says: everyday is for the thief but one day is for the owner of the house.
Let them know it that the latest killing of Biafrans when they were marching in solidarity with Trump is the last killing of Biafrans because the cup of the Nigerian Army's atrocities is full and overflowing hence IPOB will meet them in ICC( International Criminal Court) soon because the Nigerian government has not ventured to investigate the killings, let alone bringing culprits to justice.
Finally, since none of the killers of pro-Biafran activists has been brought to justice nor any attempt to investigate the killings done, it is obvious that the Buhari-led Federal Government is the one ordering its army to kill unarmed peaceful pro-Biafran activists, in order to suppress, frustrate and end the agitation for a Biafran state. But the trigger-happy unprofessional soldiers chew more than asked; as an adage says that: "a boy sent to steal by his father breaks the door with his leg".
Therefore, let the over-zealous and trigger-happy unprofessional soldiers know it that "he that rocks Biafrans with pebbles asks for rocks in return."
It is TIME for JUSTICE and it is the TIME for BIAFRA'S FREEDOM. The world should take note.
Editor: Mazi Collins
Published by IPOB Writers
Twitter: @ipob_writers
Email: [email protected]
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