No fewer than100 protesters, under the Civil Rights Groups, on Wednesday, stormed the Abuja office of Amnesty International alleging a plot by the latter to destabilize Nigeria.
The coordinator, Mr. Danesi Momoh, said the decision by Amnesty International to only base its report on 2015-2018 is suspicious.
Momoh, therefore, urged the Federal government to consider request Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) made last year for AI to be kicked out of Nigeria.
He said Civil Rights Groups at this march were willing to provide legal assistance to the government prosecution team to secure convictions of those that have used reports, doctored reports, to strengthen Boko Haram.
According to him, “this is the beginning. We will continue to occupy Amnesty International until it gets out of our country. With the tenacity the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) has shown in its bid to destroy Nigeria, we will not pull back like we did the last time. We have had enough of its destabilizing lies and we say Amnesty International must leave now.
“This confirms that whoever is financing its operations in Nigeria is angry that the tide was turned against their Boko Haram agents since the current political and military leadership took over the helms of affairs in 2015.
“It is sickening that Amnesty International can now be using its report to praise the dark era when cities as far south as Kogi State were under siege from Boko Haram terrorists.
“The AI used its so-called report to discredit the findings of other investigations that absolved the government and military of all blames while stating that the rules of engagement in military operations were professionally followed.
“The import of this unbecoming posture is that Nigeria is permitted to only exist and function at the pleasure of Amnesty International.
“This international organization lied that people are being victimized, especially when they are perceived to be connected to Boko Haram and that the military was indiscriminately killing those who remained in their homes.
“It lied that its ghost researchers documented hundreds of thousands of deaths. The horrendous lies are so many that one is constrained to be searching for a single strand of truth in the entire document,” he stressed.
Meanwhile, a pro-democracy group has drummed support for Amnesty International, saying those protesting against the human right body were hired.
Convener of the Concerned Nigerians group, Mr. Deji Adeyanju, in a statement on Wednesday night “condemns in strong terms the shameful protest by some group of persons at the premises of the Amnesty International office earlier today.”
He added that “Amnesty International has been consistent in fighting for the right of persons in Nigeria. It’s therefore, baffling that some Nigerians whose rights have been violated on the daily basis would allow themselves to be used by the government.
“The government has gone after Human Rights defenders, civil society groups, opposition voices and critics, therefore, we are no surprised by these latest despotic tactics.
“We call on Nigerians to rise against this despotic government that sees every opposing voices as enemy.
“Furthermore, this is the second time in a row that Amnesty International will come under attack for standing for what is right. Those sponsoring these people must desist from sponsoring and hiring crowd to attack Amnesty International office.”
Adeyanju also noted that “It’s surprising and shocking that the same government that clamps down on protestors and dissenting voices would freely allow people to exercise the right they have denied others at the Amnesty International office.
“Amnesty international is devoid of any political ideology, economic interest or religion. As such, the Nigerian government must stop seeing them as an enemy.
“Moreover, the activities of the Amnesty International in Nigeria is not illegal as they stand to protect and uphold the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights which Nigeria is signatory to.