New York, September 30, 2005—Based on the recent strange acquittal of the ‘priests’ and patrons of the satanic shrine at Okija a rural town in Nigeria which the police raided on August 4, 2004 and discovered over 70 dead bodies and hundreds of human body parts openly displayed and at various levels of decomposition, as well as over five registers containing the names of the patrons of the shrine, Africans In America, Inc. - a New York based human rights and think-tank organization wish to make the following statements:

We recognize that on August 24, 2005 a Nigerian court Magistrate freed the ‘priests’ and patrons of the satanic shrine on the grounds that there was no evidence to sustain the charges against them – the case was improperly charged.

We recognize the tremendous effort of President Obasanjo administration to market a ‘new Nigeria’ to the outside world, especially the western investors and the United Nations.

We want to inform the President that most of the western countries and investors his government is making all these efforts spending millions of dollars touring around the world to meet and woe have embassies, consulates and representative offices in Nigeria gathering information on the realities on the ground.

We want to inform the President that these western countries and investors do trust, believe and therefore rely on their government embassies, consulates and representative offices in Nigeria for accurate information and assessment of the situation of things on the ground more than the Nigerian government.

Old Nigeria is characterized by unsolved murder cases, unsolved ‘politically motivated assassinations’ (word borrowed from the Nigerian Police Force), massive looting of the state treasury, individual caught embezzling peoples fund were terminated from work and allowed to keep their loot, human trafficking, ritual killing of human being for body parts for fetish rituals at local African deities to acquire social and economic power (political power and wealth), uncontrolled cult activities, unbridled nepotism and tribalism, shoddy investigation of cases, improper charging of cases and non-diligent prosecution among other practices and vices. That is Nigeria , (excuse us, we mean; that was Old Nigeria).

We also understand that Nigeria is seriously canvassing to become a member of United Nations Security Council.

We want to inform Mr. President (His Excellency President Obasanjo that is) that the world including the western investors, their government embassies, consulates and representatives in Nigeria, in other African countries and around the world were watching and horrified when the Nigerian police raided the satanic shrine at Okija town in Anambra State and discovered over 70 dead bodies and hundreds of human body parts openly displayed and at various levels of decomposition, as well as over five registers containing the names of the patrons of the shrine.

The world including the western investors, their government embassies, consulates and representatives in Nigeria, in other African countries and around the world were expecting expression of outrage from him and his office as their Heads of State and Commander-In-Chiefs would have done. In the western countries, there is a proper way to die and a proper way to bury the dead, and the United Nations Security Council members are expected to share some basic civil belief system and conducts.

We want to state that western investors, their government embassies, consulates and representatives in Nigeria, in other African countries and around the world were outraged at the way the Okija case was handled, improperly investigated and improperly charged leading to improper prosecution or no prosecution as we have seen. The western investors, their government embassies, consulates and representatives in Nigeria, in other African countries and around the world wonder whether there is a ‘new Nigeria’ or whether the old Nigeria is being packaged in a new wrap.

A federal lawmaker and few prominent individuals had requested the police to quiz a state governor on the origin of some of the dead bodies and for patronizing the very same shrine the police discovered the horror. The governor retaliated by publicly admitted visiting the shrine as a client, and added that a powerful syndicate (including the accusing federal lawmaker) with access to Obasanjo Presidency took him there at gunpoint at about 2.00 a.m. to swear oath of obedience prior to his magical ‘election’ in 2003. Reports indicate the governor striped, took oath of obedience, performed witch-dance around dead bodies among other things. Police investigation confirms holes and fracture on the skulls of some of the dead bodies. The President’s brother-in-law who was also a party leader in the state in a press statement admitted rigging the election in favor of the governor. Election court in the state recently ruled that the governor did not win the election.

We wish to state that this is a good lead to crack this apparent case of very serious human rights violation. Compliance with human rights issues is an imperative prerequisite to attract western investors and becoming a member of the United Nation Security Council.

Reports reaching our office indicate that the authority may have deliberately bungled the case to protect the highly connected individuals some of who are; states and federal lawmakers, states and federal government officials, as well as, private individuals with links to the states and federal governments.

Investigation reveals that secret and brutal ancient practice of ritual killing of human beings and sacrifice to seal oaths and covenants among various African countries continue unchecked till this day.

Mishandling this case and other similar cases send worrisome signals to the world about the ‘new Nigeria’, especially as general election billed for 2007 is fast approaching. The world is wondering whether is going to be another bout of ‘oath of obedience’ and magical ‘election’ victory sealed with blood of Nigerian at satanic shrines littered all over Nigeria.

Nigeria’s image is on the line, and to salvage it, market the ‘new Nigeria’, prove that there is no ‘sacred cow’, attract western investors and have a good chance at membership of the United Nation Security Council, Nigeria authority must immediately do the following:

• The Head of State must make a press statement stating his stand on ritual killing like the President Bryant of Liberia did recently
• Set up a true independent panel/commission comprising rights activists to determine why/how this case was mishandled
• Discipline all the government officials involved for official misconducts
• Re-investigate the case and properly charge all those responsible for the dead bodies, human parts openly displayed and other heinous crimes
• Convict and commit the guilty to prison to serve as deterrent.

Africans In America, Inc. is particularly concerned about this development because individuals normally sacrificed at satanic shrines in parts of Africa are generally poor, underprivileged and victims of internal human trafficking.