A coalition of Nigerians living in the United States has moved to meet with members of the US Congress to challenge what they described as the Federal Government’s persistent denial of an alleged Christian genocide and widespread human rights abuses occurring across Nigeria.
The groups said they moved swiftly to brief American lawmakers before the Nigerian government’s own delegation will meet with Congress, insisting it was critical to present what they called the “true situation on the ground.”
Addressing journalists in a video and statement made available to THE WHISTLER on Wednesday, one of the leaders of the coalition, Evans Nwankwo, said their mission was aimed at ensuring the international community receives an unfiltered account of Nigeria’s security and humanitarian crisis.
“We are here to meet with lawmakers of the US to make sure that we tell them the real story of what is going on on the ground in Nigeria,” he said.
Also speaking, the president of the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Dr Sylvester Onyia, referenced President Bola Tinubu’s recent declaration that “justice is not for sale”. He argued that the principle must guide judicial proceedings involving detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
“That goes for the court that it cannot be bought with money to deliver against Nnamdi Kanu,” Onyia said, adding, “We are watching the world is watching we are in the capital.”
AVID’s Executive Director, Chukwuemeka Nwankwo, accused the Nigerian government of orchestrating and arming certain security groups to foment violence and shift blame to innocent citizens.
He alleged “the Nigerian government sponsored the formation of ‘Ebube Agwu’ and another security outfit just to kill our youth and blame it on innocent people.
“And that’s how they have cooked up this issue of Nnamdi Kanu just to jail him. But I can tell you that we are in Washington DC to discuss with lawmakers about this issue and also the Christian genocide in Nigeria.”
He said the humanitarian situation in Nigeria has reached catastrophic levels, pointing to the plight of displaced families across the country.
“They shouldn’t be making life difficult for the people. People are suffering in Nigeria.
“Over 10 million people are living in IDP camps and nobody is talking about it. Nobody is even talking about taking them to their ancestral homes. All they care about is doing the wrong thing all the time.
“So they have to change and repent even though they said they are repentant terrorists. They are the ones that need to repent (not terrorists).”
Adding his voice, US-based Catholic priest and Coordinator of Rising Sun, Rev. Fr. Augustine Odimmegwa, said the trip to Capitol Hill became necessary to counter what he described as a misleading global narrative that understates the severity of the killings in Nigeria.
“We must reemphasize against the narrative that is going round that, there is existential genocide going on in Nigeria.
“That genocide brought a lot of other things to the attention including the issue of Nnamdi Kanu, who was the whistleblower who alerted our people that there’s genocide that’s coming.
“Today he has been held in solidarity confinement despite the fact that the United Nations, the Kenya Court, Appeal Court in Nigeria and several court judgements were in his favour and Nigeria is still holding him in solidarity confinement.
“We made it clear to the lawmakers that this is not acceptable. Nigeria is practicing democracy. America is the beacon of democracy. So we brought it to them so that they can hold the Nigerian government accountable.
“They cannot continue to pretend that they are running democracy and are doing unjust practices especially against an innocent man, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
Also speaking, the Executive Director of Ambassador for Self-Determination, US, Ben Nwankwo, said President Tinubu’s call for justice must extend to millions of suffering and displaced Christians as well as to Kanu.
“I’m glad to hear the president of Nigeria, Tinubu, talk about justice and he emphasised that justice is not for sale. And I went to say congratulations. I want to see him do justice to the downtrodden in the country.
“I want to see him do justice to 45 million Christians that are in idp camps or aka concentration camps where the children are exposed to the elements, where they don’t have any shelter, where they are left to be preyed upon.”
He added that the Congressional engagements were productive.
“We are here to lend our voices to the Congress of the US and I am glad they are listening, they are asking very useful questions.”
On the Kanu matter, he challenged the Federal Government to demonstrate fairness consistent with democratic norms.
“In the case of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Tinubu, it must be addressed if you want justice. They have turned against and prosecute an innocent person. You cannot drive justice from injustice or legality from illegality.
“Mazi Nnamdi Kanu was a kidnap victim. You are standing in the place of judgement judging your (own) victim. How shameful. You kept him in prison for seven years for Christ’s sake.
“So if you talk about justice we want to see you do justice concerning Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Release him and allow him to go home. That’s justice.
“If you cannot do that you shouldn’t talk about justice,” he added.
