As Buhari Unleashes Soldiers on the South East Region.

by Eze Eluchie, 

Ostensibly in response to scathing reports from international human rights organizations evidencing the fact that the Nigerian military has been engaged in monstrous acts of mass atrocities against pro-Biafra activists, the ruling government in Nigeria, headed by a man who not only played an active role in the Biafra genocide (as a military officer on the perpetrators side – 1967 – 1970) but has recently, from his insider knowledge of the atrocities committed, placed the death toll in the Biafra genocide at over 2 million persons, has most unfortunately, decided to up the stakes in its efforts to strangulate any aspiration for the universally acknowledged right to self-determination for which pro-Biafra activists are agitating.  

In the wake of the yuletide and end of year seasons, when the Igbo’s who are indigenous to Nigeria’s south-east region usually travel to their homelands in their millions, the Buhari regime in a most devious manner, announced the launch of what it cynically refers to as ‘Operation Python Dance’ under which soldiers will be deployed across the southeast region on, as the representative of the regime (Nigeria Army Deputy Director, Public relations, Col. Sagir Musa) of puts it, ‘internal security measures and deal with secessionists as appropriate’ and address ‘robbery, kidnapping, herdsmen-farmers clash, communal clashes, amongst others’. The falsehood inherent in the army’s excuse for deploying troops to the south east region is exposed by the fact that in ‘National Human Development Report for Nigeria 2016’ published by the United Nations Development Program earlier in the year, the south east region of Nigeria had been declared the “most human security secured geopolitical zone of Nigeria”.

When one recollects the deplorable records of the Nigeria military in its engagement with civil society and the civilian population, and the often stated resolve by the ruling junta in Nigeria to integrate ‘reformed’ Islamist terrorists and the civilian militia in our northern regions into the Nigerian military, it becomes easier to appreciate the apprehension felt by peoples of the south east region over the unwarranted deployment of soldiers in the region.

As the provocative deployment of ‘Operation Python Dance’ to the south east region of Nigeria commences from the 27^th of November 2016, residents in the region are encouraged to recognize the deployment for what it is, a bait to violent reaction; and thus exercise utmost restraint, where possible, whenever they encounter these soldiers on the street of the various cities, towns and villages of the region. In the event of the expected, those in the vicinity are encouraged to document whatsoever atrocities are committed, and share same as widely as possible (preferably on social media)  – pending when a dedicated channel will be set up.

The disdain, bothering on a dire psychological situation, for the people of the south east which spews out from the very persona of the head of the ruling junta in Nigeria, Muhammadu Buhari, perhaps explains why in over one-and-a-half years (18 months) of his ascension into Office of President of Nigeria, Mr. Buhari has not bothered to visit any of the states of the South East region of Nigeria – an area which he expressly stated during a visit to the United States Institute of Peace that he must treat unjustly, or at the very least cannot be expected to treat in the same as he treats other parts of Nigeria. 

The United States is hereby called upon, in all its dealings with the present Nigerian rulership (we don’t have a leadership in Nigeria), particularly in the areas of sale and supply of military hardware to be mindful of the Leahy Law and its abhorrence of US military equipment being used to arm or beef up the arsenal of countries or entities who use such weapons against their domestic civilian populations and violate human rights with impunity. Western allies of the US and the overall international community should likewise be mindful of the use to which national security apparatus is being deployed in Nigeria. The Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, the ECOWAS Court on Human Rights and all other multi-State and international mass atrocity adjudicatory, investigatory, adjudicatory and punishment authorities, and international human rights organizations are also called upon to take special and particular interest in the unfolding activities of Mr. Buhari’s ‘Operation Python Dance’ in Nigeria’s south east region.

There should and will be consequences for mass atrocities...

The Nigerian contraption simply must be restructured before the building conflagration consumes more than necessary.

                                                  

Amesty International Video on atrocities of the Buhari regime:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_oid2s9fxQ

Video of Nigeria’s ruler, Buhari, affirming resolve not to treat regions of Nigeria (the South East region which also constitute the area of the Biafra region) at the United States Institute of Peace , Washington DC:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZYUBTU2ZgFY

Pictures: Flag of the erstwhile separatist Republic of Biafra and Nigeria’s current ruler, Muhammadu Buhari.