ABUJA – A group, Progressive Citizens Congress on Friday staged a peaceful demonstration at the Embassy of the United States in Abuja, demanding that Amnesty International should seize to operate in Nigeria.
The protesters accused the body of deliberately frustrating the effort of Nigerian military by providing cover for the Boko Haram insurgency that troops are fighting day and night to defeat.
Abiona Desmond, president of the group noted that “There is apparently a concerted effort to make Nigeria into a failed state and recent events are proof of such plot.
“Our dear country has battled all manners of insurgency in the north east especially the Boko Haram terror group, which was once an assemblage of ragtag of misguided youths that turned into an international terror organisation within the shortest time possible.
“There have also been several other sects that tried to spread extreme ideologies and radicalise youths, starting from the northern part of the country, but for the timely intervention of the law enforcement agencies.
“One common thread runs through the terror attacks and plot of terror. That link is called Amnesty International (AI), an NGO that has repeatedly abused its position by doctoring reports to exonerate the real criminals while vilifying those avowed to fighting such criminals on behalf of the nation. It does all in its power to make the people and the government look bad while the terrorists are canonize as saints.
“With heaven’s backing, Nigeria finally defeated Boko Haram, the terror group that Amnesty International worked for in the north east largely to the gallant performance of the Army under its current leadership.
“The terrorists that this NGO provided cover for did a lot damage and the government is now trying to rebuild the region with support from genuine NGOs and international partners.
“This restoration of law and order in the north east is anathema to AI, so like a disgraced dog fleeing with its tail tucked between its legs, this international NGO fled from the north when it became apparent its tricks were not going to destabilise Nigeria.
“The worst it has been able to do was to regularly slow down the pace of military operations against terrorists through the reports it issues whenever it sees that its clients are being defeated.
“We are therefore not surprised that Amnesty International has again secured itself a contract for the destabilization of Nigeria in partnership with Niger Delta Avengers and other militant groups in the Niger Delta region.
“The groups were unable to hide their elation at signing on Amnesty International to run their propaganda and have thus gone to town to expose their partnership.
“This unholy alliance is another of Amnesty International’s trick at intimidating our law enforcement and security agencies from being able to fight terrorists and leave Nigeria vulnerable to suit its paymasters’ goal for us as a country.
“We therefore demand that Amnesty International immediately shuts down its subversive operations in Nigeria and leave the country forthwith. If Amnesty International fails to comply with this quit notice we shall occupy the premises of every single facilities it operates from.
“We further take steps to publish the identities of its operatives in Nigeria, their relations and contacts details that will make it possible for concerned Nigerians to directly reach them to pass on the message to leave the country.
Amnesty International leave Nigeria now!”