Arrest/abduction of Ambazonian leaders in Nigeria is
unlawful - African Bar President
On behalf of the African Bar Association, I write to bring
to your esteemed attention and to formally protest the unlawful arrest and
abduction of scores of Cameroonian refugees resident in Nigeria by Security
agents believed to be from the department of State Security, the Military
intelligence or other security organs of the Nigerian State.
Information
of this unfortunate incident which reportedly occurred in Abuja on Saturday was made available to
the African Bar Association by some of the refugees who witnessed the abduction
and managed to escape .
Honourable
Attorney -General Sir, it may interest you to know that most of the abductees
are Lawyers and registered members of our Association.
Furthermore,
these individuals had their privacy invaded and whisked away without a warrant
or any explanation at all and taken into custody at an unknown location.
Needless
to say that the political problems in the Republic of Cameroon are notorious
and in the domain of the international Community with the attendant
consequences.
We make
bold to say that Nigeria as a respectable and responsible member of the
international community has Legal obligations under the United Nations
Convention on Refugees, the African Charter on human and people’s rights and
several other international and local legislations that gives rights to refugees and other endangered civilian
Nationals of other Nations which must be taken into account at all times as
Nigeria has obligations to protect these rights.
If the
motive for these unlawful acts is to return the refugees to Cameroon, then
Nigeria would be violating international Law that forbids Countries from
returning refugees to the Countries they are fleeing from.
Cameroon
right now is in total chaos with wide spread state sponsored terrorism,
political persecution, intimidation, mass rape and murder particularly against
the citizens of the Southern part of that Country which has led many to
flee the dictatorship there to
temporarily reside in Nigeria and other Countries within and outside the
African Continent. It may interest you to know sir that Afba has been working
hard with other likeminded Continental and international bodies to see that
this crisis is resolved and normalcy returns to Cameroon but so far the
Government of that Country has prefered
Facism and Gestapo tactics to dialogue.
Sir,
the African Bar Association as a responsible Professional Association cannot
sit by and allow this type of situation to stand where Security operatives
under whatever guise or directives violate Human Rights and international Law
especially of members of our esteemed Association .
In the
circumstances, the African Bar Association demands as follows :
(1)immediate release of all those abducted by Security
agents of the Nigerian State.
(2)apology and adequate compensation to these innocent
individuals for these grave legal infractions and
(3) thorough investigation into the circumstances which led
to this unfortunate incident and adequate punishment for those found culpable.
While
we trust in the ability and speedy attention of your good office to meeting
these Lawful demands, we shall however not hesitate to approach the Local and
international Courts to seek Legal redress if this matter is not resolved with
the next 48 hours.
Meanwhile,
please accept the assurances of the cooperation and high considerations of the
African Bar Association.
Best Regards
Hannibal .E. Uwaifo
President
African Bar Association
No comments:
Post a Comment