Their deaths must be avenged

There has been persistent demand for the killers of 32 innocent Nigerians in Aba, Abia state on August 5, 2005 to be brought to justice.

The ill-fated citizens, including market traders, motor mechanics, commercial drivers and bus conductors were, on that fateful day, arrested, tortured and cramped up in a dingy small cell at Ohabiam market in the city by operatives of Abia State Vigilante Service (alias Bakassi Boys). The incident took place during the atrocious regime of Orji Uzor Kalu as governor of the state.

Out of 35 persons so arrested, 32 died before day break in circumstances suspected to be suffocation. All efforts of the federal government to unravel the mystery behind this mass murder yielded no positive results. A House of Representatives delegation, led by Hon. Mao Ohuabunwa, visited Aba on a fact-finding mission on the unfortunate incident to no avail. Accusing fingers are, however, still being pointed at former Governor Kalu, as he seemed to have sabotaged all the efforts towards fishing out the perpetrators.

In pursuit of justice in the matter, a rights group known as Human Rights, Justice and Peace Foundation (HRJTF), staged a protest march at the United Nations Office in New York. The protest drew human rights activists who wore black T-Shirts and black bands as a form of solidarity from across the world.

Comrade Chidi Nwosu, president of the group, said the protest march was meant to internationalize the extra-judicial killings, as well as the need for the United Nations to prevail on President Umaru Yar’adua to release the report of the presidential panel of inquiry into the Orie Ohabiam massacre. Nwosu, also, pointed out that the protest was to internationalize the sponsorship of terrorism by Abia state government.

It would be recalled that Kalu government had, then, set up a committee to probe the massacre, but failed to release the attendant report. According to Nwosu, Abia State government, over time, attempted to sweep the matter under the carpet but failed owing to agitations for justice in the matter by his group and other well meaning people of the state.

“In order to exonerate itself from blame, Abia state government constituted a panel to probe the circumstances surrounding the mysterious deaths of the Orie Ohabiam 32, as opposed to call by the HRJTF and other well meaning Abia People on the federal Government to set up a panel. Millions of Abia people’s money was expended on this futile exercise. But three years later the report of the panel has not seen the light of the day, thus vindicating the HRJTF’s stand that the panel was not only constituted to divert public attention from the culpability of agents of the Abia state government but also to exculpate them from blame”, Nwosu asserted.

Nwosu, further, accused the Governor of Abia state of using the group to overawe and intimidate his real and imaginary foes.

“While the sacred blood of the Orie Ohabiam 32 is still crying for justice, Governor Theodore Orji has surrendered security of the state to the Perpetrators of this crime against humanity. In full glare of the public, they kill and burn suspected petty thieves/robbers contrary to the universal declaration of Human Rights, which presumes accused persons innocent until found guilty by a competent court of law. Governor Orji, also, uses this terrorist gang to overawe and intimidate his real and imaginary foes”, Nwosu added.

But Mazi Uma Udensi, current chairman of Abia State Vigilante Services (a.k.a Bakassi Boys) debunked Nwosu’s allegations, insisting that the present Bakassi is a reformed outfit, poised to flush out criminals in the state.

Said Udensi, “The Claims by Comrade Nwosu are unfounded. Every Abian can now testify that the vigilante outfit is a reformed one. Their operations are conformed to the tenets of the law. You know the current AVS is established by law passed by the state House of Assembly. We, also, have regular operational interactions with the police, which are shaping our approach to operations. The outfit Comrade Nwosu is referring to was disbanded”.

All in all, Nigerians want killers of the 32 innocent citizens to be brought to justice, especially, now that the duo of former Governor Kalu and President Olusegun Obasanjo, who had penchant for rights abuse, are no longer bestriding the narrow walls of Nigerian politics, at least, not directly.