Huriwa Writes To British Government For Sanctions Of Buhari-led Administration:

British Parliamentary Action Against Nigerian Genocides Of Christians Is Most Appropriate-:

By Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA)
One Month memorial Mass for de 73 Victims of January 1st 2018 Herdsmen Massacre in Benue State Organised by de Catholic Dioceses in Benue. 
Dioceses of Makudi ,Otukpo,Gboko and Katsina-Ala
One Month memorial Mass for de 73 Victims of January 1st 2018 Herdsmen Massacre in Benue State Organised by de Catholic Dioceses in Benue. Dioceses of Makudi ,Otukpo,Gboko and Katsina-Ala

A Statement By The Prominent Civil Rights Advocacy Group; Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) Strongly Backing The Action of Some Law Makers in The British Parliament That Dragged Nigeria To Commonwealth Seeking Nigeria’s Expulsion Due to Genocides Against Christians, Describing It As The Best International Action Against The Series of Failures by The President Muhammadu Buhari Government To Arrest And Prosecute Terrorists and Armed Fulani Herdsmen Killing of Christians And Locals.

THE ISSUE:
It has come to our notice that the ruling All Progressives Congress and the Presidential Media Aides have in the most embarrassing manner challenged the action of some concerned members of the United Kingdom’s House of Lords, the British upper legislative chamber, who petitioned the Commonwealth over the persistence insurgency and heinous attacks by armed herders on Christian communities in Nigeria.

In most embarrassing respective statements, they attempted to distort and trivialize the violence in Southern Kaduna, some parts of the Middle Belt and other states of the federation that it could not be described as genocide.

The lawmaker had in a letter dated September 14, addressed to Patricia Scotland; Secretary-General of the Commonwealth noted that the failure of the Federal Government to protect Nigerians was a breach of its obligations under the Commonwealth Charter.

Those who signed the letter to the Commonwealth scribe include Baroness Cox, Lord Alton of Liverpool, Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws QC, Jim Shannon, MP, Lord Williams of Oystermouth ( a former Archbishop of Canterbury) and Lord Carey of Clifton, also a former Archbishop of Canterbury.

Others are Dr Christopher Cocksworth, Lord Bishop of Coventry; Philip Mounstephen, Lord Bishop of Truro; Lord Stoddart of Swindon; Lord Anderson of Swansea; Lord Cormack; Sir Geoffrey Nice, QC; Ayo Adedoyin of International Organization for Peace and Social Justice and Ewelina Ochab of Coalition for Genocide Response.

Mervyn Thomas, CSW; Dr Khataza Gondwe, CSW; Neville Kyrke-Smith of Aid to the Church in Need (UK); Dr John Eibner of Christian Solidarity International and Ann Buwalda of Jubilee Campaign also signed the letter.

Referencing a report by the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for International Freedom of Religion or Belief, the lawmakers observed that thousands of civilians have been killed and that “elements of the Nigerian government may be complicit in violence”.

WHY WE BACK THIS ACTION
This action by Some Law Makers in The British Parliament seeking Nigeria’s Expulsion from the Commonwealth due to genocides against Christians is the best international action against the series of failures by the Buhari-led government to arrest and prosecute terrorists and armed Fulani herdsmen killing Christians and locals for obvious reasons.

Contrary to the responses from the All Progressives Congress and the Presidential Media Aides evidence of orchestrated genocide against Christians abound. In response to “a rising tide of violence directed against Nigerian Christians and others classified as ‘infidels’ by Islamist militants in the country’s north and middle belt regions, the Christian Solidarity International on January 30, 2020, had issued a genocide warning for Nigeria, calling on the Permanent Member of the United Nations Security Council to take action.

This year alone, especially in Kaduna State, North Central region of Nigeria, Muslim Fulani herdsmen have unleashed gruesome attacks and terrors on defenseless citizens all in Christian dominated communities of the state.

These attacks took place in Christian dominated communities in the southern part of the state some of these communities are: Kemari Rimi, Kallah, Gefe, Libere, Maraban Kajuru, Maraban Rido, Rafin Roro, Kawuwan Magani and Buda.

Muslim Fulani herdsmen have also unleashed heinous attacks on Zipkak community in Jama’a Local Government Area of Kaduna State, Gora Gan village, in the north-central state’s Zangon Kataf County, Kukum Daji, in Kaura County.

Other Christian communities captured by the menacing killer Fulani herdsmen are Katchia County, Chibuak, Kigudu, Anguwan Audu, Doka, Afogo, Kallah, Gefe and Libere, Ladugga, Maraban, Sabon Gari, Gusawa village and Kauru County.

In the midst of the scores of these gruesome attacks in Kaduna State, neither the President nor the governor has never made any sympathy visit to the communities, let alone take steps to alleviate their suffering by providing relief materials to the displaced. These threatened communities have consequently relocated to surrounding communities, thereby creating a very serious humanitarian situation.

This effort by these concerned UK Parliamentarians therefore highlights the urgent concerns about escalating violence in Nigeria, where attacks, led by Boko Haram, Fulani herders and other Islamist militia continue in northern and central-belt states, with reports of increasing violence in the South-East.

It also highlights “the state’s failure to protect its citizens, which is a clear breach of its obligations under the Commonwealth Charter in respect of human rights.

OUR POSITION:
We are by this statement backing this action and condemning with deepest dismay the indefensible statements by the APC and the Presidential Spokespersons distorting and trivializing the orchestrated heinous attacks on Christians by armed Muslim Fulani herdsmen.

Why is the Federal and Kaduna State government so comfortable with this anomalous situation of ARMIES OF OCCUPATION in Christian communities even when by their oaths they swore to defend the constitution and the Constitution guarantees Rights to life, rights to own properties and other fundamental freedoms, yet the government seems to be actively encouraging these attacks.

The case of the constant harassment of Obadiah Mailafiya by the Department of State Security for raising alarm based on intelligence about the involvement of a certain governor in terrorism and the witch hunt of a Journalist in Plateau state by the DSS for disclosing a credible intelligence he got about impending Fulani attack are examples.

In the case of the Plateau state journalist, it was rather irrational that days after same armed Fulani herdsmen attacked the plateau communities and the DSS failed to stop these attacks but was more concerned about harassing the bearer of the credible intelligence. Is it that this current administration is sponsoring terrorism against Christians or what?

With the continuation of such hostilities by Fulani herdsmen even when various biased peace moves are being initiated, it is becoming clearer that the purported dialogue is serving as a diversion to enable the attackers to continue their diabolical activities. We are left wondering whether it is worthwhile engaging in such dialogue and peace talks.

That the security situation of Nigeria is now a subject of debate in the Britsh Parliament is an indication from the international community that President Buhari’s pledge to deliver on security has failed.

Hence, we demand that the Commonwealth and the British parliament treat the complaints urgently because the killings are still going on. Pogroms of Christians are going as violent attacks by armed herders on predominantly Christian communities in the central and southern zones have escalated in recent years and are spreading southward, threatening the country’s security and stability.

*COMRADE EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO:
NATIONAL COORDINATOR:
Miss. Zainab Yusuf:
Director, National Media Affairs:
HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA).

SEPTEMBER 27TH 2020.