http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/disturbing-video-allegedly-shows-nigerian-army-torture-murder-biafran-secessionists-1639343


Disturbing video allegedly shows Nigerian army torture and murder Biafran secessionists
Video appears to show soldiers beating men with batons and forcing them to drink dirty river water.
Ludovica IaccinoJames Lillywhite By Ludovica Iaccino, Video by James Lillywhite
Updated September 14, 2017 15:51 BST
01:25
Shocking video allegedly shows Nigerian army abusing suspected IPOB members
Shocking video allegedly shows Nigerian army abusing suspected IPOB members TGS Intelligence Consultants
The Nigerian army is investigating a video showing what appear to be troops torturing and murdering civilians accused of belonging to a separatist group.

The nearly three-minute-long video began circulating on social media earlier in September. It appears to show soldiers forcing a group of half-naked men to lie down on the ground, beating them with batons. They are then forced to lie in a river and drink dirty water.

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Pointing at what appears to be a corpse lying on the ground, the person recording the video is heard saying: "This one now, is dead".

The footage ends with images of the men lying in the water motionless. It is not clear what happened to them next and whether they are dead or alive.

The men were suspected of belonging to the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) group, which calls for the independence of Biafran territories that were forcibly annexed to Nigeria during British colonisation. An Independent Republic of Biafra was declared in 1967 and re-annexed to Nigeria in 1970, after three years of civil war.

It is believed the footage was taken in Abia state, in Nigeria's south-east. IBTimes UK sources said the men were travelling to the residence of their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, when they were stopped by the military. Soldiers found the youths in possession of flags of the former Republic of Biafra.

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The army's spokesperson, Brigadier General Sanni Usman, was not immediately available for a comment on the video.

However, he was quoted by local media as saying the army was aware of the footage and was investigating it.

"We are aware of certain video being circulated," he said, according to the Daily Post.

"We have gotten complaints of the said video, and have commenced an investigation into the matter and the report would be made public. The General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Major General Adamu Abubakar, is investigating it and whatever it is, we will definitely let the public know about the outcome."

Rights group Amnesty International told IBTimes UK it is also investigating the video.

Allegations of violence

This is not the first time that Nigerian security forces have been accused of violence against of pro-Biafra secessionist groups, but authorities have always denied such allegations.

In March, Amnesty called on the governor of Anambra state in south-eastern Nigeria to investigate alleged killings of pro-Biafra secessionists that have occurred in recent years.

Pro-Biafra protest Abia state
Pro-Biafra supporters shout slogans in Aba during a protest calling for the release of leader Nnamdi Kanu in November 2015Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP/Getty
Amnesty released reports alleging abuses against Ipob members, claiming security forces had killed at least 150 people "and injured hundreds more during peaceful assemblies" since August 2015.

The army denied the allegations, claiming it intervened to prevent "ethnic clashes" and accused Amnesty of trying to tarnish its image.

Independence calls have gained renewed momentum following Nnamdi Kanu's arrest in October 2015. Kanu, Ipob leader and director of UK-based Radio Biafra, is standing trial on treasonable felony charges and was released on bail earlier this year. The trial will resume in October.

The Nigerian government has always maintained the country's unity was a priority and that while peaceful pro-Biafran protests were welcome, demanding the breakaway of the Biafran territories went against the constitution.

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Security analyst David Otto believes that, should investigations confirm that the men in the video were tortured by soldiers, it will be a strong sign that excessive violence might lead to radicalisation of youths, subjected to such treatments.

"The security services shown in this vile video have shown ineptitude in handling the Biafra agitators to a point where their action is acting as a radicalising tool to vulnerable and angry Igbo youths , creating the basis of ethnic and sectarian violence in Nigeria," he told IBTimes UK.

The majority of people inhabiting south-eastern Nigeria are Igbo, one of the country's largest ethnic groups. The Igbo people led the 1967 Biafran secession.

"The security forces must be called to order and the President [Muhammadu Buhari] has to intervene and address the Biafra agitation crisis in the south," said Otto.

"This is enough evidence that there is the urgent need of restructuring the security services training to take into account cruel actions that generate unintended consequences that may jeopardise national peace and stability."

International Press have started talking Oooo!

Go and see the video in this UK paper.

Buhari should not withdraw his troops, it is already too late as reports have already started going round of genocide.lalasticlala


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Fake fake fake

One of the men in the video was dead, they shot him dead and the camera showed him lying dead in the video.

Things like this never good down well with Human Rights groups/International Agency and will alleviate the status of the Biafra movement further.

I was going through some American news site and the video is currently making rounds.

My advice to SE govs is to enquire into the man murdered by Buhari HausaFulani Army.

It is certainly somebody father, brother or son in addition to being an unarmed civilian.

My second advice is that SE gov advice Buahri not to withdraw military from the region, he did not consult dem before deploying and thus they have no business involving themselves.

The best way to deal with dafts like Buahri is to give him a very long rope and let him hang himself.

Nemesis1:



Is Mynd44 your attack dog?

Ibtimes is Nigerian based propaganda website, I did the who is as far back as early 2015" no UK or international media is reporting anything of this nature


You are a fool, simply put

First it was fake news, then it is Nigeria base, are u sick or u have a habbit of opening ur mouth ignorantly?

IBtimes is the first UK source, i will open other thread with US source.

U people should prepare becos reports from Amnesty International and various International groups will soon follow.

U cannot go around destabilising peaceful states, causing innocent people to suffer and lose their life.

Everything that happened in Abia is on Buhari's head.

Nemesis1:
Fake fake fake

You must be Buhari's brother

letusbepieces:


First it was fake news, then it is Nigeria base, are u sick or u have a habbit of opening ur mouth ignorantly?

IBtimes is the first UK source, i will open other thread with US source.

U people should prepare becos reports from Amnesty International and various International groups will soon follow.

U cannot go around destabilising peaceful states, causing innocent people to suffer and lose their life.

Everything that happened in Abia is on Buhari's head.

Apparently your brain is unable to connect dots

Even when you argue blindly, Ibtimes is owned by a Nigerian, run in Nigeria and updated in Nigeria its not a UK source, oponu why is that hard to comprehend?


Your USA source better not be another hungry blogger

Eze2000:


You must be Buhari's brother

Please service your brain before quoting me

Nemesis1:


[s]Apparently your brain is unable to connect dots

Even when you argue blindly, Ibtimes is owned by a Nigerian, run in Nigeria and updated in Nigeria its not a UK source, oponu why is that hard to comprehend?


Your USA source better not be another hungry blogger[/s]

Oya stop mentioning me, we no be mate.

Buhari's days are numbered

ICC jail awaits him