Nigeria: With Amnesty International As Friend, No One Needs An Enemy -By Benjamin Angwe

I am constrained to lend my voice to the ongoing debate on the activities of Amnesty International (AI) in Nigeria. I must add that penning this article is borne out of genuine desire to see that the Nigeria of our dreams is manifest and without any form of distraction.

Amnesty International is not an organization any serious government should tolerate. Amnesty International is also not an organization a well-meaning individual should identify with because, from all indications, their position as a human rights organization, is questionable and filled with a high level of deceit.

I say the above with all sense of humility and patriotism with the quantum of information at my disposal on the real intent of Amnesty International in Nigeria. I would state in unambiguous terms that if urgent steps are not taken against the operations of Amnesty International in Nigeria, we would all have ourselves to blame in the long run. In my years of research, I have never come across an organization that is filled with intense politicking and deceit. I have also not come across any organization that would be so daring to take up a challenge to cause the disintegration of a country with so much impunity in return for monetary gains, and not minding whose ox is gored.

This is the story of Amnesty International in Nigeria, and I am pained beyond words how we have allowed ourselves to be so fooled over the years by Amnesty International as an organization advocating for the respect for human rights. This is the height of deceit and somewhat a failure on the part of previous administrations in Nigeria. But as the saying goes, nothing is hidden under the sun forever. The truth must always come out. So the bitter pill we have to swallow is the realization that Amnesty International is out to destroy Nigeria by all means necessary and possible. Though hard a pill to swallow, it’s already in our mouth, and we are left with just two choices; swallow or spit out. Also, I would guess that the only option we have as a people is to spit out and rinse our mouth thoroughly.

Nigeria, as it stands, cannot afford any form of terrorism because we have had a fair share of it in big doses. We must admit that the impact of terrorism is still being felt in the country despite the substantial gains we have made in recent times. This was so because past administrations refused to act when necessary. They politicized the threats confronting the country and thought manna was going to fall from heaven.

But again, I would say that we are quite lucky to be able to identify the emergence of a group in Amnesty International that seem to be sympathetic to terror activities. A group that will be quick to point out perceived human rights abuses by the military in their fight against terrorism but conveniently close their eyes to the heinous crimes being committed by terrorists’ groups. AI is fast exposing itself to suspicion that its paymasters are those with vested interests that are obviously against the corporate existence of Nigeria, interests that do not see anything good in our country and are quite sad that we are making progress despite the multitude of challenges confronting us.

How we have managed to pull through remains a mystery and an indication that God truly loves Nigeria. However, should the relevant authorities relent? The answer is a huge no. This is especially pertinent because of the fact that this present administration swore to protect the Constitution of Nigeria as well as its people from foreign interest who do not mean well for the country.

This much, I can say, has been done but there is still a lot more that has to be done in the quest to ensure that Nigeria does not in any way succumb to the whims and caprices of those vested interest that wish for our disintegration. I believe that the first step to solving any problem is realizing that there is a problem and identifying it. Also, now that it has been established that Amnesty International is acting a dubious script against Nigeria, the relevant authorities must come all out and act. The facts are clear, and the motive has come in the open that the threat Amnesty International poses to the unity of Nigeria is real.

The fact is also clear that Amnesty International is working in cahoots with some external sources towards disintegrating Nigeria.  At this point, we do not need a soothsayer to tell us what to do because if we don’t act, then we would have ourselves to blame.

Amnesty International must leave Nigeria in the interest of peace and progress. They are now, by their propensity to see no wrong in the atrocities of terrorists, are beginning to present themselves as corporate warehouse for the entrenchment of terrorism in Nigeria. As mind-boggling as this sounds, it is the stark reality confronting us as a people.

I won’t mince words in this regard for the expulsion of Amnesty International from Nigeria because the land must heal completely. Any government, particularly in the developing world, that is still tolerating Amnesty International is exposing itself to evil machinations capable of bringing forth only mistrust and anti-development processes. Boko Haram and ISWAP are terrorist groups already known to all. But AI by its subterfuge is proving to be more dangerous to the wellbeing of the Nigerian nation.

The Nigerian government must act and see to the expulsion of Amnesty International from Nigeria in the interest of the over 200 million Nigerians whose lives are threatened daily by the activities of Amnesty International. That we are lucky to have realized on time the nefarious plot of Amnesty International in Nigeria is a plus, however, it would be a minus if the appropriate steps are not taken towards nipping in the bud the threat posed by Amnesty International. Nigeria must heal. A word is enough for the wise. AI is a friend with dubious intention such that can make angels of enemies.

–Angwe is a human rights activist based in Lagos.