Shiite: Your recommendations belated, CSOs tell US, UK Envoys

The Coalition of Civil Society Organisations For Transparency in Governance has said the recommendations by the United States of America and the United Kingdom are not in good light as they ought to have expressed their views to the Judicial Commission of Inquiry set up by the Kaduna State government to investigate the Shiite crisis in Zaria.

The body also accused the countries of trying to influence the Federal Government’s panel of investigation on the military’s rules of engagement and it’s compliance and warned members of the panel not to betray the oath they swore to at their inauguration.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the National Convener of the coalition, Nkechi Odoma warned the US and UK to steer clear of Nigeria’s internal affairs.

The US and the UK had separately accused the Federal Government of failing to implement reports and recommendations of investigations of allegations of Nigerian military over accusation of killing some 350 Nigerians in what the international media has termed the Zaria massacre.

In his reaction, the coalition stated: “We continue to wonder why the US and UK are obsessed with Nigeria. Ordinarily, US should be concerned about the growing extra-judicial executions by police departments across their country and the homegrown terrorism it has christened “mass shootings.”

“You were all witnesses to our charge to the Presidential Investigation Panel to review compliance of the armed forces with human rights obligations and rules of engagement to be objective in its exercise following its inauguration earlier this year. It is common knowledge that the panel has tried its best to meet the expectations of not just Nigerians but also those of the international community.  Its sittings were made open so we all followed and saw that contrary to the lies that have been institutionalised about conduct of our military, gallant officers and men have been giving their best even at the cost of their lives as they ensure that foreign sponsored terrorists do not overrun Nigeria.

“In one instance, the panel requested that Amnesty International volunteer information on the mass graves it had reported were holding the remains of extra judicially executed persons. Till date that international NGO has not been able to oblige the panel apparently because its reports were products of fertile imaginations that delivered blockbuster worthy fictions in the guise of reality. As well documented by other organizations, including outside Nigeria, this has been Amnesty International’s stock in trade, lying to protect terrorists and criminal elements for the sole objective of pushing countries into crisis or sparking off crises where the nation is originally at peace.

“It is therefore shocking that countries that make a show of fighting terrorists are parroting the tired lines of Amnesty International and are effectively blackmailing and arm-twisting the Presidential Investigation Panel to review compliance of the armed forces with human rights obligations and rules of engagement to manipulate its findings and deliver a report that suit their agenda,” Odoma said.

The coalition, however, warned the US and UK to steer clear of Nigeria’s internal affairs, saying it had never interfered in the US or UK affairs.

“There is no evidence that Nigeria has interfered in the way these two die hard imperialist nations deal with what they perceive as threat to them.

“The second leg of our warning goes to members of the Presidential Investigative Panel not to betray the oath they swore to at their inauguration. They cannot afford to be influenced by these agents of global destabilization. The Presidential panel must be neutral and objective and base it’s recommendations on what transpired during its sittings,”she added.