The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD) has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling worsening insecurity and gross human rights abuses in South East Nigeria, following the release of Amnesty International’s latest report.
The Amnesty report, titled “A Decade of Impunity”, details a surge in violence in the region, including targeted attacks on civilians, unlawful detentions, extrajudicial killings, and widespread abuses by both state and non-state actors. It highlights the excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged detentions by security agencies, as well as violent confrontations involving armed groups and vigilante factions.
FENRAD noted that the continued detention of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has further polarised communities, fueling unrest and contributing to the escalation of militancy in the zone.
Speaking on the development, FENRAD’s Executive Director, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, said the findings of Amnesty International mirror the grim reality residents of the South East face daily.
“Our people continue to suffer untold hardships due to insecurity and rights violations. The actions of both state and non-state actors, alongside the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, have significantly contributed to the current crisis. FENRAD remains steadfast in its mission to amplify the voices of the vulnerable and to work tirelessly towards restoring peace and justice in the South East,” Nwafor said.
FENRAD outlined its ongoing campaigns, which focus on advocating for the protection of fundamental human rights, providing legal and psychosocial support to victims of violence, promoting dialogue and reconciliation, ensuring accountability for perpetrators of abuses, and engaging policymakers on sustainable, human-rights–oriented security measures.
The group called on the Nigerian government, security agencies, civil society, community leaders, and international partners to intensify efforts to safeguard lives and restore peace in the region.
FENRAD emphasised that lasting peace in the South East can only be achieved through respect for justice, inclusivity, and protection of citizens’ rights.
