IPOB Drags FG To Court, Demands Compensation

IPOB Drags FG To Court, Demands Compensation

Clement Ejiofor 

·         Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have filed a suit against the federal government for alleged killing of their members at separate incidences in Onitsha, Anambra state.

A pro-Biafran protester killed in Onitsha.

The group is also intending to drag the chief of army staff (COAS) and the inspector-general of police (IGP) to the International Criminal Court on charges of crimes against humanity.

In an application filed by the Kingdom Human Rights Foundation on behalf of deceased and injured members, IPOB is reportedly demanding N8.5 billion as compensation for the alleged killing of pro-Biafra protesters.

According to The Sun, respondents in the suit are: the president, attorney general of the federation, National Assembly, the COAS, the IGP, commissioners of police, Imo, Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, Delta, Bayelsa and Rivers state police commands, commandant general of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and the director general of the Department of State Security.

The human rights group, through its lawyer, brought the application on behalf of IPOB and families of victims seeking a declaration of the court condemning “as crime against humanity, the unlawful, cruel, inhuman, brutal and wicked killing (shooting) of unarmed, non-violent and peaceful protesters who are exercising their right to peaceful assembly, freedom of association, and right to self-determination”.

Besides, they are demanding an order of the court awarding N100,000, 000 to each of those who was grievously injured by a combined team of the Nigerian army, police and other security agencies on October 20 and December in Onitsha.

Earlier this week, the Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, raised the alarm over a “spate of excessive aggressions” that led to great loss of life at the hands of the Nigerian military.

Recalling a tragic incident when the Joint Military Task Force opened fire on pro-Biafra protesters in Onitsha, the group called on the federal government to institute a judicial probe of the killings with a view to serving justice.

Source: https://www.naij.com/677151-ipob-drags-buhari-federal-government-court.html