I, Barr. Vincent Egechukwu Obetta, Director STREETLAW AFRICA INC. on
behalf of all Indigenes of the South East Zone of Nigeria resident in the Northern
parts of Nigeria, (hereinafter referred to as Ndigbo resident in the North), hereby
issue the following World Press Statement that:
1. On 11/07/2017, I, on behalf of Ndigbo residents in the North, filed 3
suits at the Abuja Federal High Court (FHC) and ECOWAS Court
respectively, comprising (a) A Motion for an Order of Mandamus of the
FHC, compelling the Inspector General of Police (IGP), to arrest and
prosecute WITHIN 7 DAYS, all such Persons led by one Alhaji Yerima
Shettima under the aegis of Arewa Youth Consultative Forum (AYCF), who
on 06/06/2017, issued a Treasonable Notice to Ndigbo in the North, to
vacate the Region before the 01/10/2017, or else …. (b) A Fundamental
Rights Enforcement Suit filed at the FHC, against Alh Yerima Shettima, the
IGP and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), to enforce the
Fundamental Rights of Ndigbo in the North, to move freely throughout
Nigeria, and to reside in any part thereof, as guaranteed them under Section
41(1) of the 1999 Constitution as amended (c) A Fundamental Rights
Enforcement Suit filed at the ECOWAS Court, against Alh Yerima
Shettima, the IGP and the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), to enforce
the Fundamental Right of Ndigbo in the North, to move freely throughout
Nigeria, and to reside in any part thereof.
2. I hereby put the above Respondents on Notice that if it pleases the
Hon Court to grant the above Mandamus Order as prayed, and the IGP fails
and neglects to comply with such Order of Mandamus of the FHC within the
timeline thereon specified, I would have no other choice than to proceed to
the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, Holland, to press
Criminal Charges against them, of Aiding and Abetting a second Genocide
against the Ndigbo in the North, the first Genocide having taken place in
1966 with no one held to account in that regard, till date.
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My Criminal Suit for such second Genocide against Ndigbo in the North,
will be filed against (i) Alh Yerima Shettima (ii) The IGP (iii) The Attorney
General of the Federation (AGF) as the Chief Law Officer of Nigeria (iv)
Prof Ango Abdullahi and (v) Prof Yemi Osinbajo as the Ag. President of
Nigeria when the 06/06/2017 Threat of a second Genocide against Ndigbo in
the North, was issued.
The IGP, AGF and Prof Yemi Osinbajo would be charged before the ICC as
above stated, for looking the other way, and deliberately failing / neglecting
to arrest and prosecute Prof Ango Abdullahi, Alh. Yerima Shettima and his
Group, etc, since the 06/06/2017 when this DESPICABLE Threat was
issued against Ndigbo in the North; and thereby Aiding, Abetting,
Condoning and Encouraging a second Genocide against Ndigbo in the
North.
3. Should it become necessary to proceed to the ICC due to a REFUSAL
by the IGP to PROMPTLY comply with above Order of Mandamus,
NOTHING will stop us from revisiting and pressing Charges at the said
ICC, against ALL the Ringleaders of the 1966 Genocide against Ndigbo in
the North.
4. It has just been announced with cynical fanfare, that the above AYCF
has ‘suspended’ its 6/6/17 ‘Quit Notice’ against Ndigbo in the North. I
hereby wish to make it categorically clear that this so-called suspension of
the Quit Notice CANNOT in law, extinguish the GRAVE OFFENCE
committed by Alh Yerima and his Group against Ndigbo in the North, on
06/06/17. Alh. Yerima MUST be arrested and prosecuted alongside other
Ring-Leaders of the AYCF, for their TREASONABLE THREAT against
Ndigbo, to quit the North before the 01/10/2017. NOTHING short of such
Arrest and Prosecution will suffice to settle above 3 Suits, as filed.
5. It is no longer News that the cynical silence and manifest bias of the
FGN and its Agencies since the 06/06/2017 when the Treasonable Threat
against Ndigbo was issued, has encouraged and opened a floodgate of ‘Hate
Speeches and Songs’ currently awash on the Internet.
6. Ndigbo in the North and indeed all over Nigeria, have been the butt /
victims of Cynicism, Oppression, Repression and Extreme Marginalization
since the end of the Civil War on 15/01/1970. Ndigbo in the North have ever
since, been serially and SEVERALLY attacked and massacred at the
slightest pretext, by Northern Elements such as the Alh. Shettima’s AYCF.
7. Irrespective of all above atrocities daily committed against Ndigbo in
Nigeria, the latter have remained calm and focused on their Businesses and
Enterprises, which have contributed in no small measure to the economic
and social development of Nigeria; all what they get in return is daily
Oppression, Repression, Extreme Marginalization and sometimes outright
massacre in the hands of misguided elements in the North.
8. Worse still, the FGN which Constitutional Duty it is to safeguard the
lives and property of Ndigbo throughout the Federation, has consistently
looked the other way in the face of all above atrocities, thereby aiding,
abetting, condoning and encouraging same.
9. The 1966 Massacre of Igbos in the North, was not only condoned, but
was celebrated by the eminent Northerners who indeed gloated openly, over
the gruesome event.
10. The 1966 Genocide against Igbos in the North, has since the end of
Civil War, been swept under the carpet to the extent that it has been banned
by the FGN, from being mentioned in History Lessons in ALL Nigerian
Schools. Furthermore, it is NOT even allowed to be mentioned in public and
any such mention otherwise, is regarded by the Nigerian State, as Treason.
11. Since 2015 when the Incumbent FGN came to power, the cries and
agitations of Ndigbo against above Repression and Marginalization, have
been equated to Treason against the State, to the extent that unarmed and
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defenseless civilians have been severally shot at and killed by Soldiers of the
Nigerian Army especially at Onitsha, Anambra State.
A recent Report issued by Amnesty International says that not less than 150
such unarmed and defenseless civilians have been shot at and killed by
Soldiers of the Nigerian Army especially at Onitsha, since 2015.
12. It is extremely distressing that coming out of all the recent discourse
across the Federation, (which Discourse has been ignited by the ongoing
Agitations by Ndigbo), Prof Yemi Osinbajo and ALL other eminent / elder
Statesmen have obscenely remarked that in as much as Alh. Yerima
Shettima’s Quit Notice to Ndigbo in the North is condemnable, the ongoing
agitations by the same Ndigbo should STOP FORTHWITH.
That is, they mean that the TREASON committed by Alh. Yerima Shettima
on 06/06/2017, is a befitting Response to the agitations of Ndigbo, which
agitations have since the end of the Civil War, been equated to Treason in
any event.
13. This ABSURD, NONSENSICAL, ILLOGICAL, EXTREMELY
INSENSITIVE and IMMORAL position held as above by our elder
Statesmen, is akin to positing that a child who is being pummeled and
brutalized by his older sibling, can only be rescued from his assailant when
he stops crying. That is, for as long as the pummeled child continues to cry,
the Pummeling is justified and MUST continue!
14. A Threat bordering on a flagrant violation of the Fundamental Rights
of Ndigbo in the North, and a Notice to the latter, of a second Genocide
against them should they fail to comply with such Threat, is regarded under
the law as such Fundamental Right already violated, and the Genocide
executed!
15. Under the hallowed principle of ‘ubi jus ubi remedium’ it is hard to see
how the Agitations of an oppressed and marginalized people have violated
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the Rights of any other Nigerian in any manner whatsoever. On the other
hand, the above Threat by Alh. Yerima Shettima and his Group, CLEARLY
violates the Fundamental Rights of Ndigbo in the North.
Notwithstanding, the FGN has as above, perversely and consistently held
that such Agitations constitute an act of Treason against the State, and
therefore DESERVE to be met with Threats of Genocide and Expulsion
from the North, by Alh. Shettima and his ilk.
Gentlemen of the press, may I use this opportunity to thank the United
Nations who issued a statement in Geneva on Friday calling on the FGN to
immediately arrest members of the Arewa youth group.
16. Finally, I hereby call on all men of good conscience all over the World
(US President, UK Prime Minister, President of China Republic etc), to turn
their much eagerly awaited attention to the above deplorable plight of
Ndigbo in Nigeria, and bring their influence to bear, to save Ndigbo from
IMMINENT ANNIHILATION from the surface of the earth! We Must not
allow ugly history to repeat itself in this generation.
LONG LIVE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA!!!
SINGED: Vincent Egechukwu Obetta Esq.
