ABUSE: The Nigerian Army Unlawful And Illegal Military Conviction Of Abducted Igbo Citizens Is A Travesty

ABUSE: The Nigerian Army Unlawful And Illegal Military Conviction Of Abducted Igbo Citizens Is A Travesty  Background: The term National Arm...

ABUSE: The Nigerian Army Unlawful And Illegal Military Conviction Of Abducted Igbo Citizens Is A Travesty 

Background:

The term National Army refers to, or is synonymous to the recognized lawful army of a country. This army is so referred due to its uniqueness and difference from other armies such as a rebellion army or rebels, or even a private army saddled with the responsibility of keeping a place or region safe. The national army is founded on patriotism and rule of law because it has a transactional agreement with fellow citizens.

 The sole operational establishment and objective of such an army is the defense of compatriots and territorial integrity. Such an army will never, regardless of whatever reason(s), attack, kidnap, torture, maim and/or kill a citizen without due diligence and legal empowerment. Such an army is the admiration of the citizens and commands total respect from them.

Introduction:

Any army that brutalizes, humiliates, abducts, tortures and even kills fellow citizens is not a national army. The Nigerian Army as is the case with many other establishments in Nigeria, was founded to defend the colonialists. It is adopted from the British Colonial forces of West Africa. Here, the term army represents the Armed Forces with special focus on the land force or the army. 

The Nigerian army is still cosplaying and displaying colonial mentality. For example, it is common during a colonial era to make every nigger guilty by association for an alleged crime of another nigger. Hence, it is common to raze a community, mass abduct defenseless civilians, crush dissent or use naked or brute force to quench a demand. Because their loyalty lies with a few local power grabbers and their foreign sponsors, they see their fellow citizens as expendables.

Representative Democracy:

However, since Nigeria is a democratic, it has to be stated clearly that the role of the army or military in a representative democracy is rooted in the supremacy of the civilian institutions. By this, it is well established that Nigerian army lacks the authority to try a civilian in a military court. If it is a taboo to try civilians in military courts, for all the years Nigeria was under military rule from the first coup d’etat in 15 January 1966, how then can it be sanctioned or subscribed to in 2024? 

Usurpation of function:

The revelation during a recent broadcast on Biafra Television by Mazi Chinasa Nworu, a member of the Directorate of State of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), that Nigerian army has Court Marshalled and convicted many members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, including Emeka Ngonadi, is a red line that has been crossed and this must worry every sensible person. It doesn’t matter your politics, there should be a uniform condemnation. It is bad enough that this army engages in acts of lawlessness, what is worse is keeping mute in the face of such egregious unlawfulness.

For the records, the Nigerian army has no business rehabilitating someone for having a different political opinion. Nobody has to be abducted, tortured, rehabilitated, convicted and jailed for their political opinion. Moreso, the real question is: why are Bokoharam terrorists who engaged in wanton destruction of lives and properties pardoned and reabsorbed into the society on red carpets, while those asking for referendum are abducted, tortured and jailed? For goodness sake, self-determination is not a crime. A call for referendum is not a call for war.

In conclusion

For as long as there are reactants, there will always be an end product. Social injustice, corruption, nepotism are the social reactants fueling the demand for referendum. Until the demand is granted, a by product called insecurity will be prevalent. No amount of brute force can crush a willing people. Such an action only justifies their demand. In this case, Nigeria must divide and there is nothing anyone can do about it. You can take that to the bank. The Nigerian army, and their collaborators within and in diaspora, must know this and know peace!

#FreeEmekaNgonadi

#FreeIPOBMembers

#FreeBiafra

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