Lawyers to sue Nigerian Govt, govs over missing, detained South-East residents

A group of independent legal practitioners, under the aegis of Fiat Justitia, have vowed to sue the Federal Government, the South-East Governors’ Forum and the Nigerian Army over residents of the South-East who were declared missing, detained or abducted under controversial circumstances.

The group also vowed to sue the Nigerian Police Force and the Department of State Services, DSS.

The lawyers, who spoke in Umuahia on Monday, alleged that many South-East residents who were arrested by security agencies are yet to be accounted for by the Federal Government, governors in the region and the security  agencies.

Addressing journalists at the Correspondents Chapel office in Umuahia, a representative of Fiat Justitia, Adekoye Segun, raised the alarm that those who were arrested over alleged membership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, are yet be produced in court for trial, or released to their families.

He expressed concern that many of those who are missing after being abducted during midnight raids by security agencies were allegedly transported to military detention centres far from the South-East, and held for prolonged periods without being produced in court.

“We are preparing a coordinated legal action and accountability proceeding against the following: The South-East Governors’ Forum, the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigerian Army, the Nigerian Police Force, the Department of State Services.

“We will demand that they account for every missing person in the South-East.

“We will demand that they explain under oath why citizens arrested in the South-East are being transported to military detention centres in distant locations such as Wawa, Niger State, and held for prolonged periods without being properly brought before competent civilian courts,” Adekoye said.

Adekoye, who said the group is representing the families of the missing and abducted persons, and those presumed dead, said many victims of raids in Aba, Operation Python Dance in Umuahia, Nkpor massacre and other incidents, had not been seen by their families.

The lawyer presented a list of 80 persons whom he alleged were either missing, abducted and or presumed dead, noting that affidavits, photographs, documented testimonies and medical reports from families and survivors have been assembled to present their matter before the court.

He demanded that South-East residents who have spent between four and eight years in detention without trial should be tried or released to their families.