Amnesty International has called on the Federal Government to launch a comprehensive investigation into alleged human rights abuses across Nigeria’s South-East, warning that years of violence and insecurity have left thousands of residents vulnerable to killings, torture, enforced disappearances and unlawful detention.
The rights organization made the appeal on Thursday in Awka, Anambra State, during the presentation of its latest report titled Human Rights and Accountability in the South-East Zone.
According to Amnesty International, the investigation should be independent, transparent and impartial, covering alleged abuses committed by both security agencies and armed groups operating in the region.
Presenting the report, Maurice Chukwu said the organization documented widespread violence across the five South-East states between January 2021 and December 2024.
The report alleges that security forces, the state-backed Ebube Agu security outfit, suspected members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), its armed wing, the Eastern Security Network (ESN), unknown gunmen, armed herders and criminal gangs have all been linked to various human rights violations.
According to Amnesty International, the region has witnessed unlawful killings, torture, arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, enforced disappearances, attacks on communities, forced displacement and restrictions on freedom of movement.
The organisation urged authorities to ensure that everyone reasonably suspected of committing crimes is prosecuted through fair trials while making the outcome of investigations publicly available.
One of the report’s most striking findings is the claim that an estimated 1,840 people were victims of alleged extrajudicial killings between January 2021 and June 2023.
Amnesty International also documented attacks allegedly carried out by armed herders during grazing disputes, particularly in Enugu and Ebonyi states.
The report further identified several communities where armed groups are said to have forced residents from their homes, driven out traditional rulers and established control over local territories.
Communities such as Agwa and Izombe in Imo State, as well as Lilu in Anambra State, were described as areas where government authority has significantly weakened due to persistent armed activities.
Beyond political violence, Amnesty International said criminal cult groups continue to operate in several communities across Anambra State with little resistance.
The report identified towns including Obosi, Awka, Onitsha, Ogidi and Umuoji as locations where cult-related violence has flourished alongside an active illegal drug trade, resulting in numerous deaths.
The organization also accused security agencies of carrying out unlawful arrests, torture, prolonged detention and enforced disappearances of individuals suspected of having links with IPOB.
It called on the Federal Government to strengthen safeguards against abuses by security forces and ensure accountability for violations committed during security operations.
Amnesty International urged authorities to provide justice and compensation for victims and their families through restitution, rehabilitation and guarantees that similar abuses will not occur again.
The organisation also recommended that enforced disappearance be specifically criminalised under Nigerian law in line with international conventions.
It further appealed to the government to ensure that relatives of individuals arrested by security agencies or Ebube Agu operatives are promptly informed of the whereabouts and condition of their loved ones.
The report also highlighted the impact of the sit-at-home directive enforced by IPOB, saying it has disrupted education and violated the rights of children across the region.
Amnesty International urged the government to develop alternative learning systems to ensure that students can continue their education whenever schools are forced to close because of insecurity or movement restrictions.
According to the organization, the findings are based on three separate research missions conducted across Imo, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi and Enugu states.
Researchers interviewed more than 100 victims, survivors and relatives of affected persons, as well as lawyers, religious leaders and representatives of civil society organizations.
Amnesty International said it also sought meetings with governors of all five South-East states, but only the Anambra State Government acknowledged receiving its request, although no meeting was eventually held.
The organization concluded that insecurity in the South-East has become increasingly complex, involving political, criminal and communal violence carried out by multiple actors with competing interests.
It warned that unless urgent action is taken to restore accountability and strengthen the rule of law, the humanitarian and security challenges facing the region could continue to worsen.
