Your Excellency,
I am William Nicholas Gomes, Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com
I came to know about the situation from Front Line Defender.
On 18 November 2012, human rights defender Mr. Justine Ijeomah was forced to go into hiding, two days after he was physically assaulted and received death threats as a result of his efforts to inquire about the reasons behind the arrest and detention of a member of his organisation. Justine Ijeomah is a Nigerian human rights defender and Chairman of the Human Rights, Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), which is working to promote human rights and social justice in the Niger Delta region.
During the afternoon of 16 November 2012 Justine Ijeomah responded to a report that a member of HURSDEF had been detained by the Anti-Kidnapping police unit at the Swift Operation Squad (SOS) station in Port Harcourt. According to the report, his colleague Mr. Maduka Nnajiofor had been arrested that morning on unspecified charges. The human rights defender thus went to the station, accompanied by Samuel Robinson, a colleague in charge of the rapid response program at HURSDEF, to inquire about the reasons behind Maduka Nnajiofor?s arrest and detention.
At the SOS station, Justine Ijeomah and Samuel Robinson were told to wait in the station?s restaurant while an officer went to gather the details. Moments later, Maduka Nnajiofor was set free and joined the group at the restaurant after being told that he had no case to answer. The group decided to get clarification on the arrest from the officer in charge of the Anti-Kidnapping unit, Mr. Jovinus Iwuh. Instead of responding to their queries, however, the officer in charge lashed out at Justine Ijeomah saying that he was stupid to ask why the human rights defender had been arrested, before angrily commenting, ?Don?t the police have the right to arrest and detain anyone at will??. The officer in charge went on to intimidate Justin Ijeomah by grabbing his left ear and pulling it while threatening him: ?Do you hear me, I can eliminate you and nothing will happen.?
When Justine Ijeomah cautioned the officer in charge against the threat, other officers joined in the assault, pushing, beating and slapping the defender. In the process, Justine Ijeomah was reportedly hit against the station?s gate four consecutive times. When Samuel Robinson asked why the officers were assaulting his colleague, the same officers started beating him as well. The officer in charge did not do anything to protect the human rights defenders.
As the assault went on, one of the officers reportedly threatened that he would ?shoot Justine and nothing will happen.? He also said he was going to trail the human rights defenders and may shoot them any day he meets them. He made these threats after reportedly complaining that the human rights defenders were bringing too many issues to the station.
After the assault, Justine Ijeomah was in such a bad condition that he had to seek medical attention. At the local hospital, he was advised to see an ear specialist for an accurate assessment of the damage that may have been caused to his ear.
Members of HURSDEF report that the SOS police station has a long history of abuse of authority. In another recent incident that took place on 3 September 2012, HURSDEF?s lawyer, Barrister Anselm Lawson Kpokpo, was assaulted by one officer at the station who repeatedly hit him with a rifle. An ad hoc petition issued by HURSDEF following the incident has thus far not been acted upon.
I am concerned for the physical and psychological integrity and security of human rights defender Justine Ijeomah, especially in the light of reports that he has received death threats, and the assault on him by the SOS police officers. I believe that Justine Ijeomah has been targeted specifically because of his legitimate work in defence of human rights, in particular his work on behalf of the victims of arbitrary arrest and detention in Rivers State.
I urge the authorities in Nigeria to:
1. Carry out an immediate, thorough and independent investigation into the reported assault and death threats against human rights defender Justine Ijeomah, with a view to publishing the results, taking disciplinary action where necessary and bringing those responsible to justice in accordance with international standards;
2. Take all necessary measures to guarantee the security and the physical and psychological integrity of Justine Ijeomah as well as that of the other members of HURSDEF and their families;
3. Guarantee in all circumstances that all human rights defenders in Nigeria are able to carry out their legitimate human rights activities without fear of reprisals and free of all restrictions.
Yours sincerely
William Nicholas Gomes
Human Rights Ambassador for Salem-News.com
www.williamnicholasgomes.com
