INTERSOC/NG/004/06/14/FGN/ABJ
His Excellency
Dr. Goodluck Jonathan
President &
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces
Federal Republic of
Nigeria
The State House,
Three-Arms-Zone
Abuja, FCT, Nigeria
Sir,
Boko Haram Terror & Other
Unlawful Killings In Nigeria: Our Opposition To Immunity & Impunity For
Atrocity Crimes & Criminals And Insistence On International Criminal
Justice Intervention-Part Three
(Security & Rule of Law, Onitsha Nigeria, 6th
day of June, 2014)-This is the continuation
of our letter to Your Excellency bordering on Boko Haram terror and other
unlawful killings in Nigeria since July 2002 when the Rome Statute of
the International Criminal Court came into force. This is in accordance
with Article 11 of the Rome Statute on jurisdictional competence of the Court.
Your Excellency will recall that our organization (International
Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of Law-Intersociety) had
on 28th and 31st of May 2014, addressed parts one and two
of this public important letter to Your Excellency. Our last correspondence
with the courier firm we contracted to courier the letter under reference
indicated that the two-part letter was successfully delivered to Your
Excellency’s office at the State House, Abuja, FCT as at Monday, 2nd
day of June 2014. It is also important to inform Your Excellency that the
Office of the Chief Prosecutor for ICC has written us to acknowledge the
receipt of its copies and their entry into its Information & Evidence
Register for perusal and other expected actions. The ICC letter
to Intersociety, referenced: OTP-CR-181/14 and signed by
M.P. Dillon for Chief Prosecutor, was dated 2nd June, 2014.
We have also replied the world respected body through ours dated 3rd
of June 2014.
1,296 Nigerians Killed By Boko Haram In 66 Days: Between 1st April and June 5th 2014,
a period of 66 days, at least, 1, 296 Nigerians including a first class Emir or
Muslim traditional ruler have been killed by Boko Haram violent sect. The
recorded 1st April and 5th June 2014 Boko Haram killings
are: 10th April, 60 killed in Kala Balge, same day, 8 killed
in Dikwa, 14th April, 71 killed in Nyanya Park bombing, Abuja, 1st
May, 19 killed in second Nyanya Park bombing, 5th May, over 300
killed in Gamboru Ngala in Borno, 18th May, 4 killed in Kano, 20th
May, 118 killed in Jos, 21st May, 25 killed in Chikongudo (source: Wikipedia
May 2014).
Others are: 25th May, 54 killed in Yobe & Borno
States (Wikipedia), 26th May, 20 killed in Kamuyya Village in Biu
LGA, Borno State; 26th May, 21 killed in Waga Village in Madagali
LGA, Adamawa State; 27th May, 14 soldiers, 11 policemen and 10
civilians killed in Buni Yadi in Gujba LGA, Yobe State and Chinene Village in
Gwoza LGA, Borno State. The Boko Haram terror sect had in recent months gone by
massacred between 55 and 59 boy-students of the Federal Government College,
Buni Yadi in Gujba LGA of Yobe State, who were asleep in their dormitories.
On 28th May, 35 innocent citizens were killed in
Gamushi, Amuda and Arbokko villages in Borno State, 31st May, 40
killed in Kala/Balge (Wikipedia), 31st May, the Emir of Gwoza,
Idrissa Tinta killed, 31st May, 42 killed in Kanari, Wadarde and
Gula villages in Gamboru Ngala LGA of Borno State, 1st June 2014, 13
killed at the Church of Brethren, in Attangarra Village near Gwoza LGA of Borno
State, May 30th and 31st , 45 killed in
Annari, Wodula and Warshele villages near Ngala town in Borno State with their
food items and scores of livestock carted away by Boko Haram terror sect and on
June 1st , 2014, 40 killed in a popular bar and brothel located near
the Nigerian Army’s Special Operations Battalion in Kaban area of Mubi in
Adamawa State.
On 2nd June, 2014, at least, 300 villagers were
reported killed in three communities around Gwoza local government area of
Borno State when gunmen suspected to be Boko Haram but fully kitted in military
fatigue uniforms attacked them, eyewitnesses and security operatives said.A few
villagers in Danjara, Agapalwa and Antagara who managed to escape the attack
are currently taking refuge in the rocky Gwoza hills, while others mostly women
and children who were spared by the attackers have found their way into
Cameroonian territory. A State lawmaker representing the area in the Borno
State House of Assembly, Hon. Peter Biye, told the Hausa Service of the British
Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) that “they (Boko Haram) opened fire on villagers
and burned houses and churches to the ground” and dozens of people were killed
in each attack. Another indigene of the area from Attangara village, Mr.
Andrew Tada, who lives in Maiduguri, the State capital, told the BBC that he
lost two cousins in the attack, noting that residents had told him they were
preparing to bury 45 people from that village alone.
Impeccable sources who saw it all told LEADERSHIP that the gunmen
that attacked the villages pretended to be soldiers who had come to protect
them from further attacks, but when the fake soldiers managed to gather all the
villagers at the centre of the village in Attangara, they opened fire on them,
killing hundreds and injuring several others. “They came in military Hilux
vans, and we all thought they were the soldiers that we earlier reported to
that the insurgents might attack us; when they came in over 10 Hilux vehicles
we all felt relieved that, at last, the military had arrived. So we went to
them and they told us that ‘we are soldiers and we are here to protect you
all’. They then urged all of us to converge at a particular spot at the centre
of the village; we all complied. But when they saw that a sizeable number of us
had converged, they began to shout ‘Allahu-Akbar, Allahu-Akbar’ on top of their
voices, then they began to fire at the people continuously for a very long time
until all that gathered were dead,” said a community leader who would not say
his name for fear of his safety. “I lost four of my blood brothers in the
massacre. I was lucky to escape because I was not very close by when the gunmen
started shooting at our people. I was going round to inform people that the
soldiers had come and they wanted to address us. I managed to escape through
villages in Adamawa State and later made it to Maiduguri”.
The source said while the gunmen were killing the villagers in the
three villages, some others who were riding on motorcycles lay in ambush
outside the villages and continued to pick on the fleeing villagers.“When some
of the villagers managed to escape, they were unfortunately waylaid outside the
villages by some gunmen on motorcycles who would catch and slaughter the men
and young boys; they only allowed women and children to go,” said the source.
The source added that Boko Haram gunmen had for over a month now hoisted flags
in attacked villages like Ashigashiya and Chinene, but each time they ran to
the military to report their plights, “the military personnel in Gwoza would
say they have not been given order to go to that area; even when they are
hearing the sounds of their guns, they really don’t care.
“But on Monday, when we went to tell the soldiers that we got
information that the insurgents would be coming to attack us, they assured us
to go back and that they would come to join us in the village. That was why we
thought that those that came to attack us were soldiers, because they came in
military Hilux and they were all dressed like soldiers. But it turned out that
they came out to massacre us.” The source said: “Corpses still litter
everywhere in the villages and in the bush; some women whose husbands were
killed before their eyes had to return to dig shallow graves to bury their
husbands so that their bodies would not be preyed upon by vultures or wild
animals. I can confidently tell you that over 300 persons have been killed”
(Sources: Intersociety, News Express, the Leadership, Wikipedia, local
residents and other local media). The latest Gwoza massacre above is
totally targeted and directed at Christian communities in Borno State. Also, on
5th June, 2014, at least, 45 people were killed in Bargari village
in Konduga LGA of Borno State when Boko Haram murderous elements opened fire on
innocent people after disguising as “preachers of Islamic teachings”.
Our Opposition To Immunity (amnesty) For Boko Haram Terror Sect: Granting immunity to Boko Haram butchers and
encouraging a culture of impunity for atrocity crimes committed and being
committed by the murderous Islamist sect is graver than passing through
devastating and destructive natural disasters like earthquake and tsunami. It
is shocking and reprehensible to observe some groups and individuals calling
for canonization of atrocity criminals in the form of “amnesty” or immunity. At
this juncture Your Excellency, we condemn strongly the reported calls or moves
by the likes of Shehu Sani of Kaduna based CRC and other groups for
amnesty or immunity from criminal responsibility to be given to Islamist
violent sect called “Boko Haram” armed opposition group. Our opinion is that “immunity/amnesty
for Boko Haram should be granted only in exchange for restoration of all
innocent civilian lives and private and public properties lost and destroyed by
Boko Haram sect”. We believe also that such calls are made out of
ignorance and ulterior intents.
Why Amnesty or Immunity For Al-Qaeda-linked Boko Haram Will
Fail: It is important to
inform Your Excellency that circumstances under which Boko Haram Islamist
violent sect finds itself presently makes it near impossible for the violent
sect to concede to the so called “amnesty” being rumored or championed. It is
an elementary knowledge Sir that it is easier to join an organized drug
criminal cartel but very difficult to opt out. Those championing immunity or
amnesty for Boko Haram violent sect should first of all, study the Al-Qaeda and
its global membership. This is without prejudice to any hostage negotiation for
the freedom of over 200 Chibok girls taken hostage since 14th April,
by the violent sect provided it is premised on international hostage
negotiation norms, which must exclude immunity from criminal liability for
leaders and members of the violent sect over atrocity crimes committed.
Swapping five Taliban Islamic fighters for one US soldier must not be
misconstrued or misinterpreted because under the four Geneva Conventions or War
Conventions of 1949, exchange of war prisoners is allowed. Chibok girls
are not war prisoners or POWs.
As Your Excellency may be aware, Al-Qaeda (meaning The
Base) is a global militant Islamist and takfiri organization formed
around August 1988 and end of 1989 by a group of Islamic radicals led by
Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, Abu Ubaidah al-Banshiri, Osama bin Laden, Wa’el Hamza
Julaidan, Saeed al-Masri, Mamdouh Mamud Salim and Sayyed Imam Al-Sharif. The
fiery and murderous group is traceable to Arab volunteers, who went to fight
the defunct Soviet Union in Afghanistan to unseat its puppet regime in Kabul
led by Dr. Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai (1987-1992) over its “un-Islamic”
influences in the country. The Al-Qaeda forefathers are the “Mujahedeen”
and the “Taliban” Islamic freedom fighters that fought “Jihadist”
wars in Afghanistan and some former Eastern European countries including
defunct Soviet Union and Yugoslavia. The Taliban, which came from
the Mujahedeen, is led by invisible and fiery Islamist, Sheik Mullah Mohammed
Omar.
Today, there are over 33 “Al-Qaeda by nationality” operating
in countries like Afghanistan, Algeria, USA, Bangladesh, Britain, Canada,
Comoros, Egypt, UAE, Germany, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Jordan, Kenya, Kurd,
Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Moldavia, Morocco, Pakistan, Palestine, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Spain, Syria, Tanzania, Turkey and Yemen. It shares
same traits with other radical Islamists, which operate in over 52 countries (Islamists
by nationality). Al-Qaeda’s radical Islamic Conquest and World-wide
Islamic Caliphate ideologies have roots in hitherto radical OIC formed
to challenge the conservative Arab League especially the latter’s
position over the State of Israel and people of Jewish origin.
The two radical Islamic ideologies later led to successful Islamist revolutions
and military takeovers in Pakistan (under Zia ul-Haq 1978-1988), Libya (under
Muammar Gaddafi 1969-2011) Iran (under Ayatollah Khomeini 1979-1989), Sudan
(under present Omar Hassan al-Bashir 1989 -present) and Afghanistan (under
Mullah Mohammed Omar 1996-2001).
The Al-Qaeda operates a global network comprising both
multinational, stateless army and a radical Sunni Muslim movement calling for
global Jihad and strict interpretation of shariah law as well as breaking up of
all foreign influences in Muslim countries. The Base or Al-Qaeda has
since been designated as a terrorist organization by UN Security Council, NATO
(North Atlantic Treaty Organization), Russia, USA, UK, the EU, India and host
of other countries. Over 19 of its key leaders including Osama bin Laden (2011)
have been assassinated globally. Its funding is strongly believed to have come
from some Islamic countries like Iran and some radical oil sheiks in Saudi
Arabia and Kuwait. Other radical Islamic organizations and Islamists in Europe
and Americas are also believed to be funding the terrorist sect using some
globally undetected malicious money laundering enterprises such as, some say “e-Gold”
and other malicious sources.
Boko Haram Islamist Violent Sect: As Your Excellency may be aware, this violent
group is actually called: “The Congregation of the People of Tradition for
Proselytism & Jihad or Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati Wal-Jihad.
It was founded in 2002 by late Mohammed Yusuf and Fuji Foi, former
commissioners in Ali Modu Sherif civilian government in Borno State. The
violent sect began as a ragtag armed group and resorted to bank and armed
robberies and looting to survive. It operates in northeastern Nigeria, north
Cameroon and Niger Republic and is fighting for pure Islamic State rule by
shariah law and an end to “westernization”. Today, the violent sect has been
internationally connected to Al-Qaeda in Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), the
global Al-Qaeda, Al-Shaabab in East Africa and the Movement for Unity
& Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO). It is also associated with Mokhtar
Belmo Khtar’s violent Islamist sect faction and other militant Islamist
groups operating outside the country.
The violent Islamist sect was designated as a terrorist group by
the USA on November 13, 2013 and on 22nd May, 2014, the United
Nations Security Council added it in the list of global Al-Qaeda entities
placing it on funding, weapons and traveling sanctions. Its funding is
divided into three: primary, secondary and tertiary. Its primary funding came
from violent criminal activities like armed and bank robberies, looting and
mandatory financial contributions from its members and voluntary and forced
supporters. The primary funding held sway during its surviving years. Its secondary
funding is believed to have come from its big local sponsors especially from
northern elites. Its tertiary funding comes from overseas including from
radical rich Islamists and Islamic bodies in oil rich countries and western
world. It is also strongly suspected that the terror Boko Haram sect receives
fat funding from Al-Muntada Trust Fund and the Islamic World Society
(sources: Wikipedia & Intersociety Nigeria June 2014).
The import of the above analytical information Sir is to keep Your
Excellency abreast of the international sophistry of the violent Islamic sect
called “Boko Haram” and for Your Excellency to understand the near
impossibility of getting it surrendered and disbanded under the so called “amnesty
program” being rumored or championed. The local and international circumstances
under which the violent Islamist sect is now, is a clear departure from that of
MEND or NDVF in the Niger Delta. This is because the Boko Haram
violent sect has been internationally indoctrinated, hardened and radicalized
by virtue of its membership of Al-Qeada Islamist network and its
exposure to a basket of big international malicious funding organizations and
individuals. This is more so when it has never been heard or recorded that a
member of Al-Qaeda or other global Islamist networks has been amnestied
to the point of its surrendering and disbandment. This is why we hold a belief
that those championing illusive amnesty for the violent sect are doing so out
of ignorance.
Moreover, meeting all their conditions for amnesty or things like
that expressly means making it to achieve its radical ideologies of Islamizing
the country and establishing Islamic caliphate at Aso Rock as well as
turning Nigeria into Afghanistan where it is a taboo under the Mullah Mohammed
Omar’s Taliban rulership to access formal education and live a free life and
enjoy civil liberties. Even if the presidency of the country is conceded to
them, it will be seen and treated as “Boko Haram Terror won presidency”. If the
people of Nigeria elect a Muslim northerner in February 2015 presidential poll,
so be it, provided it is not gotten through the barrel of gun or an IED
originated from the terror group’s barbarous and butchery uprising against
Nigeria and Nigerians.
While dialogue remains a major tool in conflict management and
transformation, the best options left in Your Excellency’s hand as Nigeria’s
Commander-in-Chief is to join and consolidate membership of the global
coalition against terror, overhauling and digitalizing the internal and
national security establishments and invocation of the global criminal justice
sanctions against those responsible for the atrocity crimes under reference, be
they those in the Boko Haram violent armed opposition group or those in the
country’s security and political establishments. The souls of thousands of
innocent citizens murdered in the ethno-religious cleansing under reference
will eternally haunt the State of Nigeria if those responsible for butchering
them are canonized and red-carpeted. There is also a compulsory need for the
State of Nigeria to set aside a period for “National Sorry feast” so as
to sooth the vengeance souls of those butchered and forgotten. Payment of
reparation or compensation by the State of Nigeria to members of the immediate
families of those butchered must also accompany the “National Sorry” mechanism
under recommendation.
Yours Faithfully,
For: International Society for Civil Liberties & the Rule of
Law-Intersociety
41, Miss Elems Street, Fegge-Onitsha 430003
Anambra State, Southeast Nigeria
Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chairman
+2348100755939 (text 24/7, call 9.30am-4.pm Mon.-Friday: office
hours)
CC:
1. Mr. Ban Ki-moon, Secretary
General of the United Nations, New York, USA
2. Ms Fatou Bensouda, Chief
Prosecutor for International Criminal Court, Hague, The Netherlands
3. The United Nations Higher
Commissioner for Human Rights, Geneva, Switzerland
4. Secretary General of Amnesty
International, London, UK
5. The Executive Director, Human
Rights Watch, New York, USA
6. Nigeria’s Permanent Rep to the
United Nations
Boko Haram Wasted 1,300 Souls In Nigeria , Intersociety Writes President Jonathan
![Boko Haram Wasted 1,300 Souls In Nigeria , Intersociety Writes President Jonathan]()
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