DAILY POST
A civil rights group, International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, has accused security agencies and non-state actors of killing at least 180 persons in the South-East within December 2024 and January 2025.
It also claimed that over N21 billion was extorted from the people of the South-East within the same period.
In a statement issued by the organisation on Thursday, it alleged that killings, abductions and disappearances aimed at violently seizing and pocketing billions of Naira took the centre stage during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.
The statement made available to DAILY POST was signed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair, Intersociety, Chinwe Umeche, Esquire, Head, Democracy and Good Governance Program, Chidinma Udegbunam, Esquire, Head, Campaign and Publicity and Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Esquire, Head, Civil Liberties and Rule of Law.
Intersociety claimed that “police and military seized at gunpoint and criminally pocketed N21.8billion (police N15 billion and military N6.8 billion) from South-East roadblock and barracks’ extortions in two months: Dec 2024-Jan 2025.”
While providing further details, it alleged that “Uga Junction and Atani Road Naval checkpoints are most ‘lucrative’ in South-East; N600million (N1m per day) seized at gunpoint and criminally pocketed in two months (Dec 2024-Jan 2025) from at least ten extortion sources.
“Kidnappers seized N600million from defenseless abductees in 20 days: Dec 28-Jan 18 and N1.2billion in two months (Dec 2024-Jan 2025).
“180 defenseless citizens killed in two months: 140 by armed non-state actors; and 40 others killed outside the law by military, police and killer-vigilantes.
“200 defenseless Southeasterners abducted in two months: 160 by armed non-state actors; and 40 others held outside the law and facing permanent disappearance by military, police and killer-vigilantes.”
It further alleged that the sum represented what it called “criminal billions drawn from direct and indirect roadblock and barracks extortion, numbering over twenty sources and seized from members of the civilian population with legitimate means of livelihood who were extorted while preparing or returning for 2024 Christmas and 2025 New Year holidays or extorted while heading back to their bases after the holidays.”
The findings, according to Intersociety, “were derived from detailed research and investigation and their findings contained in the Intersociety’s December 22, 2024-Special International Report: ‘Ocean Of Innocent Blood Flowing In Eastern Nigeria’”.
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