The Concept and Proposal

With increasing on-going human rights horror committed against civilians of various defenseless ethnic groups in Nigeria and some other African countries; and since there is no known organization committed to aggressively addressing this very issue exclusively;

Therefore, Africans In America, Inc. a human rights organization based in New York City, United States, decided to establish this project: African International Legal Defense (A.I.L.D.) as a model of one of the imperatives to ending the increasing on-going human rights horror committed towards various defenseless people in Nigeria and other African countries.

There is strong belief that when Nigeria becomes human rights compliant, most other African countries will follow.

Preamble and Background

The world in general and especially, European Union, United States and Canada, countries of former Soviet Union, former eastern Europe, and China have shown greater interest on human rights issues in Africa in recent times.

We all see what is happening to perpetrators of state-sponsored genocide, state-sponsored war crimes and state-sponsored election fraud and heinous violence in the following African countries:

1. Rwandan genocide
2. Liberia/Sierra-Leon diamond war crimes
3. Ivory Coast election fraudsters.
4. And more recently, Mali

And the questions are:

1. How does the world hold these perpetrators of state-sponsored genocide, state-sponsored war crimes and state-sponsored election fraud and heinous violence accountable?
2. What is the process and mechanism of holding these lawless and reckless leaders accountable?
3. Sending written complaint or petition to UN, international human rights organizations and world leaders are good steps but does it end there? Do sending written complaints or petitions alone get the system to work?
4. How do we get from point ‘A’ to point ‘Z’, example: how do we get from the local horror scene to logical conclusions at United Nations, international community and International Criminal Court?

Above questions essentially deal with resources to get the job effectively done.

Ezu River Horror: Anambra State, Nigeria

We all know that horrors against Igbo people in Nigeria which officially took very drastic and alarming proportion started from 1966 pogrom and genocide continue till this day. And occasionally, some forms of horrors are also visited upon other Nigerian tribes. Examples: Odi in Bayelsa State in November 1999 (predominantly Ijaw town of Odi in Bayelsa State) and Logo and Zaki-Biam in Benue State in October 2001.

However, recent horror at Ezu River, Anambra State, Nigeria is very alarming and exceptional.

On January 19, 2013, about 50 dead bodies of young men, age 20 to 35, were found by local villagers floating on Ezu River in Anambra State of Nigeria. Initially, the police, the state and local government officials feigned ignorance of the origin and joined the general population in expressing shock publicly.

Shortly after, a Federal lawmaker from the area visited the scene, and convinced their colleagues resulting in 2 COMMITTEES of FEDERAL SENATE (The Senate committees on Police Affairs and The Senate Committee on Security and Intelligence) visit to the location on fact-finding missions.

Facts gradually and slowly trickling out of the committees’ hearings indicate that, those may be bodies of individuals arrested by Nigerian security forces and in custody of the Nigeria police. Some organizations and groups have already pointed out that their members and relatives who were in the custody of Anambra State Police Command had disappeared and the police could not account for their where-about.

Nigerians in particular are well aware that the Ezu River horror whereby over 50 young men of Igboland were allegedly murdered and dumped into Ezu River on about January 18 and 19, 2013 is not the first of its kind.

This sort of case, when and if properly handle and managed has potential of bringing to end such and similar atrocities in any part of Nigeria. And, that will send a very loud and clear message to some rogue leaders running some African nations.

Knowing fully-well that justice in such cases may not come anywhere in Nigeria of today, there is therefore the need to establish a strong mechanism to take this sort of cases of heinous crimes and horror towards defenseless people in Nigeria to the attention of appropriate international agency for appropriate action.

Based on various factors, including general corruption of the populace, interference by politicians and governments, intimidation and brutal nature of leaders and forces behind these horrors in Africa, there is need to establish this mechanism outside the continent.

After consultations with various entities with visceral knowledge of gross human rights violation in the continent of Africa, with particular reference to Nigeria, Program Development Consultants at Africans In America, Inc. a human rights organization based in New York City, United States, came up with idea to establish this project: African International Legal Defense (A.I.L.D.) as a model of one of the imperatives to ending the increasing on-going human rights horror committed towards various defenseless people in Nigeria and other African countries.

African International Legal Defense

Aims and Objectives:

The main aims and objectives of African International Legal Defense (A.I.L.D.) will include the following:

1. To conduct and coordinate legitimate activities towards legal defense of human rights violation of African people in various parts of African continent

2. To conduct and coordinate activities to generate high-level international community awareness and pressure towards taking human rights violations of African people to International Criminal Court (ICC), other relevant organs of United Nations and international community.

3. To conduct activities to raise funds towards legal defense of human rights violation of African people in general, starting particularly with Nigeria and beyond.

4. To conduct activities towards ending government para-agency's and para-agency’s brutality toward defenseless African people, starting particularly with Nigeria and beyond.

Part of the activities towards legal defense of human rights violation of African people may include assisting co-operating witnesses to move/relocate to safety, where it becomes necessary.

Part of the activities towards legal defense of human rights violation of African people may also include coordination of whatever legitimate resources necessary to achieve the cause and mission.

The mission is purposefully and strategically made to be broad in scope; however, it could be narrowed to specific incident through development of projects and programming.

Ability to execute any of the aims and objectives depend on support and resources, of course.

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PhotoNew: Dead bodies found floating on Ezu River, Anambra State, Nigeria on January 19, 2013

A lot of poor communities depend on this river as their sole source of water for drinking and other household use.

Nigerian governor and police boss visit horror site at Ezu River

Anambra State Governor Peter Obi and Anambra State Commissioner of Police Ballah Nasawara during a visit at the scene. The police boss reportedly said the governor ordered them to bury the dead bodies without autopsy.

Some of the key questions Nigerians and international observers are asking are:

1. Who killed these people and why?
2. Who duped them into Ezu River and why?
3. Why were autopsy not performed on all dead bodies?
4. Are there anything Nigerian authorities are covering, or not saying?