No fewer than 115 people have been killed and 500 arrested in the South-East region of the country by Nigerian security agents in four months.
Also, both the military and police have jointly tortured innocent civilians and subjected them to cruel treatment in their numerous raids.
Among those who became victims of ruthless attacks of the security operatives were the volunteers of the Eastern Security Network (ESN), a militia arm of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
These revelations were made by Amnesty International in a Press Release obtainable to SaharaReporters on Wednesday.
“Amnesty International documented at least 115 persons killed by security forces between January and June 2021. Many relatives of the victims told Amnesty International that they were not part of the militants that were attacking security agents.
“Many of the victims were deposited at government hospitals in Imo and Abia states. According to several hospital sources all the victims deposited by the police had bullet injuries.
“Nigerian security forces have committed a catalogue of human rights violations and crimes under international law in their response to spiraling violence in southeast Nigeria, carrying out a repressive campaign since January which has included sweeping mass arrests, excessive and unlawful force, and torture and other ill-treatment,” said Amnesty International in the statement.
Most of the alleged atrocities unleashed by the nation’s main security agents were carried out in Imo, Anambra and Abia states.
“The evidence gathered by Amnesty International paints a damning picture of ruthless excessive force by Nigerian security forces in Imo, Anambra and Abia states,” said Osai Ojigho, Country Director at Amnesty International.
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