A staggering report by the International Society for Civil Rights and Rule of Law, Intersociety, has alleged that Nigerian security operatives and local vigilantes have been involved in the killing of over 32,300 unarmed civilians and the extortion of N3 trillion in the South-East over the past nine years.
The report, titled “Ocean of Innocent Blood Flowing in Eastern Nigeria,” was presented during a press conference in Enugu on Monday.
Emeka Umeagbalasi, the board chairman of Intersociety, outlined the findings, accusing security forces of committing large-scale atrocities under the guise of combating IPOB/ESN/Biafra-related terrorism.
According to the report, security operatives secretly massacred 22,500 civilians while 9,800 others were openly killed between August 2015 and December 2024.
The killings reportedly involved armed security personnel and vigilante groups operating across Igbo-dominated states.
Umeagbalasi alleged that thousands of individuals were unlawfully detained, tortured, and abducted during late-night raids.
Victims were often blindfolded or face-bagged and transported to secret detention facilities in northern states, including Niger, Kogi, Nasarawa, Benue, Kaduna, Zamfara, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The report further documented the raiding of over 300 Igbo communities, during which 6,000 civilian homes were destroyed, displacing at least 180,000 people.
An estimated one million individuals were reportedly forced to flee their homes due to fear and insecurity.
In addition to the killings, the report alleged widespread corruption by security operatives who extorted approximately N3 trillion at roadblocks across the region over nine years.
Umeagbalasi stated that the Nigeria Police Force was responsible for the largest share of this extortion, with bribes and forced payments often collected at gunpoint.
Highlighting the deteriorating security situation in the South-East, the report revealed that over 2.7 million illicit small arms and light weapons had been proliferated in the region. Of these, 400,000 are allegedly in the hands of Fulani jihadists and allied groups, further exacerbating violence and instability.
The report emphasized the urgent need for intervention, recommending the prosecution of those responsible for human rights abuses and compensation for the victims and their families.
“The Nigerian government must take immediate action to prevent further atrocities, ensure accountability within its security forces, and uphold the rule of law,” Umeagbalasi urged.
The civil rights group called for comprehensive reforms to address the alleged abuses, stressing that failure to act would continue to endanger lives and destabilize communities in the region.
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