By Biodun Busari  

Human rights group, Amnesty International has urged the federal government to commit itself to the task of ending the prevalent crimes of the enforced disappearance of Nigerian people.

The non-governmental organisation said this on Wednesday on its verified Twitter handle to commemorate the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance.

The International Day of the Disappeared is marked every 30th of August.

It further revealed that it has documented cases of Nigeria’s security agents perpetrating crimes in the Southeastern region while curtailing the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

IPOB is a self-determination group seeking a referendum to break away from Nigeria and have a sovereign state of Biafra.

Read also: Extrajudicial executions by Ebubeagu under guise of tackling insecurity in S-East must stop – Amnesty International

Recall that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) said yesterday that 25,000 persons are missing in Nigeria, of which 11,000 children are included.

The Head of Delegation for Red Cross Society in Nigeria, Yann Bonzon disclosed this in a statement on Tuesday.

Speaking on the commemoration, the group said the government must show commitment to ending all forms of criminalities that aid the disappearance of innocent Nigerians.

“Between 2020 to 2022, Amnesty International Nigeria has documented several cases of enforced disappearances, mass arrest, torture, extortions, ill-treatment, and extrajudicial executions by law enforcement officers responding to the activities of IPOB in the southeast.

“Nigerian authorities must show genuine commitment to ending the heinous crime of enforced disappearances, which is still prevalent in the country, says Amnesty International Nigeria to mark the International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearance,” Amnesty International said.