Amnesty International to probe rights abuse during Bayelsa election

Amnesty International, United Kingdom, on Wednesday said it will investigate cases of human rights violation during the December 2015 governorship election in Bayelsa.

Barr. Ata Ikiddeh of the Amnesty Office in UK disclosed this at a public presentation of findings on unreported cases of human rights abuse during the poll.

He stated at the event organized by a coalition of civil society, The Save Ijaw Nation Group that Nigeria remains the only natural abode of Nigerians, thus all efforts should be made to protect the rights of Nigerians.

He described the report as the first Amnesty was receiving from the South-South on killings and violation of human rights.

He expressed surprise at reports that Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camps were found in the Niger Delta.

Ikiddeh: “It is unbelievable that there are IDP camps in southern Nigeria. All we used to hear is that there are IDPs in the north. Nigeria is all we have and we need to protect the rights of everyone in Nigeria. This is the first report we are receiving from the south-south Nigeria and we will take it up seriously.

“We hope that the present government will take it up and we will do justice to that.”