Another instance of the use of excessive force in the Niger Delta has prompted  Amnesty International to observe, “The excessive use of force by Nigeria’s security forces in Bundu waterfront community is contrary to Nigeria’s international human rights obligations and commitments.”

Probe Bundu waterfront shootings Amnesty Int’l, SERAP urge FG, River

October 12, 2010

By Innocent Anaba & Wahab Abdulah,
Re-posted from Vanguard News

LAGOS—Amnesty International and Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, yesterday, asked the government of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Rivers State Governor,  Mr Rotimi Amaechi to “urgently set up an independent commission of inquiry to investigate the excessive use of force and firearms by security forces, which  resulted in at least one death, and 12 serious injuries in Bundu Waterfront, Port Harcourt, last year.

Addressing newsmen in Lagos, at the  launch the report, Port Harcourt Demolitions: Excessive Use of Force Against Demonstrators, SERAP’s Executive Director,  Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, said, “we consider the events of 0ctober 12, 2009 to constitute violation of the human rights of the victims to protest, demonstrate and take part in political activities. We also consider the excessive use of force to be unlawful, resulting in violation of the right to life.”

The 18-page report is an eye witness account  from the victims of the Bundu shootings as well as from women, who were intimidated and beaten by security personnel.

Lucy Freeman of Amnesty said, “the excessive use of force seen in the Bundu shooting is just one of many examples of the brutality with which the police and army operate throughout Nigeria, yet, few officers are held accountable. In most cases there is no investigation. There must be an end to the impunity enjoyed by Nigeria’s security forces.”

Full article

Re-posted from Social Action
Saturday, 17 September 2011

Over 700 families in Ogoniland are angry with the Rivers State government over what they allege was a forceful land acquisition by the state Ministry of Agriculture.

Consequently, the families, under the Ogoni Solidarity Forum and Ogoni Civil Society Platform have joined forces with two non-governmental organisations – the Social and Economic Rights Action Centre (SERAC) and Social Action (SA) – to show their displeasure and concern over what they described as the “grave human rights and due process breaches” by the Rivers State government.

The said farmland of about 200 hectares is being acquired to enable a Mexican investor, Union De Iniciativa S.A De C.V, undertake a commercial banana plantation project. As a result of this, families in the Nyokhana, Tai and Babbe kingdoms of Ogoniland stand to be affected by the land acquisition.

According to some of the affected family members, heavily armed military men have been coming every week in vehicles to patrol the area and survey new lands since May 16, 2011. They force anyone in their way to lie on the ground and people report being afraid to challenge the military for fear of the consequences.

Although the farmers have been explicitly forbidden by the military to return to the land, some now sneak back onto the land to harvest the few crops that remain in order to feed their families.

Full article

Four Communities: Imiringi, Elebele, Otuasega and Oruma stage peaceful protest against Shell, Friday, 08 July 2011

Reposted from Environmental Rights Action (Friends of the Earth Nigeria)

INTRODUCTION:

Four communities where Shell Petroleum Development Company [SPDC] operates in recently issued a 14 days ultimatum to the company, demanding for implementation of agreement reached with the communities in 1999. The communities include: Oruma, Otuasega, Elebele and Imiringi; all Ogbia speaking Ijaw communities in Ogbia Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, few kilometres to President Goodluck Jonathan’s community, Otueke.

Following the ultimatum to Shell, leaders of the community had appeared before the Joint Military Task Force [JTF] at the expiration of the time with a view to settle the matter amicably. Unfortunately, Shell could not convince the aggrieved communities that are demanding that the company honour the agreement it reached with them in 1999, and they decided to stage a peaceful protest to the heavily guarded Shell facility, the Kolo Creek Logistic Base.

ERA’s field monitor witnessed the protest that took place on the 7th of July 2011 and some of the protesters spoke with him.

TESTIMONIES:

We are here for a peaceful protest but if the JTF handles this matter in a violent way we shall only retreat and return in full force. Then it will be too bad for Shell because Shell has cheated us for too long. The Kolo Creek communities have been known to be very peaceful but if the soldiers and Shell take undue advantage of our peaceful disposition today to intimidate us, we shall not take it. If we hear any gun shot or if any of our members is injured here today by the soldiers, the rest of the state and the country will hear our action. All we are demanding for is that Shell should respect the agreement it reached long ago with our people; these four communities. They agreed to extend electricity to our communities but they are not doing so; while benefiting heavily from our oil wells. This is not a fresh demand, it is an agreement reached with us that we are trying to enforce.  — Amakiri Joseph, Vice-Chairman of the Community Development Committee [CDC] of Oruma

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Nigeria: Ogodobiri Villagers Flee Homes As JTF Hunts John Togo, by Emma Amaize, Vanguard (Lagos), 18 May 2011

Warri — THE people of Ogodobiri community in Bomadi Local Government Area of Delta State have fled the community seeking refuge in the forest and nearby communities following the manhunt for dreaded ex-militant leader, John Togo, suspected to be dead, by the Joint Task Force, JTF, on the Niger-Delta.

Niger Delta militants, photo credit: Vanguard

Ogodobiri, the maternal country home of Togo, who is an indigene of Ayakoromor in Burutu Local Government Area of the state, was razed in 2004 by the task force in their search for the militant leader.

In 2010, when Togo came up with the Niger-Delta Liberation Force, NDLF, the JTF, also traced him to Ogodobiri, but did not find him.

This time around, after NDLF fighters fought and wounded JTF soldiers who were on routine patrol, the task force, which maintained it was not aware of the news of the purported death of the militant leader has swooped on the community in search of Togo and his associates.

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Disband JTF now, N’Delta monarchs urge Jonathan, by Daniel Abia (P’Harcourt) and Harris-Okon Emmanuel (Warri), Daily Independent, May 18, 2011

Traditional Rulers from the Oil Mineral Producing Communities of the Niger Delta region (TROMPCON) have called on President Goodluck Jonathan to re-examine the activities of the Joint Task Force (JTF) operating in the Niger Delta region.

JTF of the Nigerian Military Photo credit: Tribune.com.ng

The call was the outcome of a two-day meeting in Port Harcourt and contained in a communiqué jointly signed by Eze Young Ogbonna and Pere Stanley Perediegha Luke, National President and National Secretary respectively

The group also urged the Federal Government to overhaul the National Youths Service Corps (NYSC) programme considering the recent post election violence in some parts of the North, which resulted in the death of at least ten corps members of southern origin.

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Outrage over JTF raid on Ijaw community, Sun News, by Emmanuel Ogoigbe, Warri, May 15, 2011
•Call soldiers to order, Ayakoromo tells Jonathan
•Group demands COAS resignation, JTF disbandment

Dec 2010 damage from JTF attack in Ayakoromo village

Devastated Ayakoromo community in Delta State has asked the Federal Government to call the military Joint Task Force (JTF) to order even as no fewer than seven persons were feared dead in a renewed hostility between John Togo-led militants and the security outfit.

Sunday Sun investigation revealed that the community, which is recuperating from the devastation caused a few months ago as the JTF raid, has again been affected by the fresh conflict. Consequently, the town has been deserted.
An elderly man, Pa Timi, who spoke to Sunday Sun at the refugee camp at Ogbe-Ijoh, expressed shock over the renewed attack and pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to call the soldiers to order so that permanent peace could return to the area.

According to him, people who fled the area during the skirmish sometime last year, had started returning home until Thursday’s shoot-out between John Togo’s men and the JTF. Efforts to speak to the community’s national chairman, Chief Anthony Bamuza, failed but a legal adviser and member of the Ayakoromo Relocation Council, Mr Tare Suowari, expressed disgust over the renewed attack and pleaded with the military authorities to call their men to order.

While calling for restraint on the side of the military, Suowari maintained that John Togo does not reside in Ayakoromo and pleaded that soldiers should stop killing innocent persons and destroying of property.
He disclosed that the indigenes were fleeing the community in hundreds while some were at the refugee camp at Ogbe-Ijoh and other areas.

While commending the Federal Government for fulfilling its promises to rebuild the destroyed community, Suowari said: “Until this recent crisis, most of the rehabilitated buildings were at advance stages because over 50 houses were affected. But we are surprised at the recent attack, which has affected some of the buildings.”
The Ijaw Peoples Assembly, in a strong-worded statement issued yesterday by its president, Elder Asu Beks, called for the resignation of the Chief of Army Staff, Major-General Azubuike Ihejirika, and disbandment of the JTF.
According to the group, the outfit had outlived its usefulness following the amnesty deal and the disarming of former militants in the Niger Delta.

It noted that an aspect of the amnesty deal was an agreement that the Federal Government would disband the JTF.
“This is yet to be acted upon. Sadly, this same JTF displayed its notorious character with another coordinated invasion of Ayakoromo community on Thursday, May 12, 2011 under the guise of searching for the renegade John Togo. As in previous raids, the JTF displayed unprovoked recklessness and used maximum force on the peaceful and defenceless people of the community, displacing all of them from their homes.

“We are alarmed that this JTF, which is not accountable to nor takes command from the President, is being routinely deployed to inflict so much pain on peaceful communities in the Niger Delta. “We therefore demand the immediate disbanding of the JTF in line with the terms and spirit of the amnesty programme and the agreement reached with former Niger Delta militants; prosecution of the commanders of the JTF, who authorised and supervised the invasion of Ayakoromor and sacking of the inhabitants; and the resignation of the Chief of Army Staff for wilfully superintending the retention of the illegal unit known as JTF,” Beks stated.

Spokesperson of the Ijaw Republican Assembly (IRA), Ms Annkio Briggs, in a telephone interview, said the JTF had become an “army of occupation” in the Niger Delta that takes delight in carrying unprovoked attack on Ijaw communities. “This must stop except they want to kill all of us. It is even more annoying as information available to us show that even the President who is from the Niger Delta is not aware of such a raid as well as the National Security Adviser. So who order the attacked Ayakoromo again?” she fumed.