SAN FRANCISCO, August 29, (THEWILL) – United Nations, UN, human rights experts have called for the prosecution of perpetrators of the three-month ultimatum hitherto issued to the Igbo residents to ship out of the northern parts of Nigeria.
They equally condemned the hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media targeting the Igbo.
THEWILL recalls that the Coalition of Northern Youths, CNY, had in Kaduna on June 6 declared that the Igbo should be out of the nineteen states of the North by October 1, threatening to take over the property of the Igbo in the region. But last Thursday, the quit notice was publicly withdrawn.
Nonetheless, the ultimatum was viewed as being of “grave concern” by the UN Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance, Mutuma Ruteere; Special Rapporteur on minority issues, Fernand de Varennes; Chairperson of the Committee on the elimination of racial discrimination, Anastasia Crickley.
These experts, in a statement, also
noted that the Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.
“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence.
“The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities,” they said.
The human rights experts said though some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, other officials still needed to follow suit.
According to them, “We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators.
“We call on the government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”
The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished.
They pointed out that, “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message.”
