CCND Calls on President Biden to Rescue Nigeria
Oru Leonard
The Collaborative Council of Nigerians in the Diaspora (CCND), a leadership council of Nigerian American organizations, has called on the President of the United States of America, Joseph R Biden Jr. to help stop the rapidly deteriorating human catastrophe that is going on in Nigeria.
The group in a letter to the U.S President dated January 4, 2023 and co-signed by Dr Francis Achike; Dr Edward Agbai; Dr Sunday Bitrus; Mr Gesiere Dorgu; Dr Ayodeji Famuyide; Dr Antonia Garner; Prof Mondy Gold; Mr Tunji Goyea; Dr Lawrence Kelechi; Mr Chijike K Ndukwu; Dr Festus Odubo; Dr C. J Odunukwe; Mr Charles Orbih; and Ms Josephine Osakwe, said the act became a last resort as the Nigerian February 2023 presidential elections draw nearer.
CCND pleaded with President Biden to save Nigerians from the siege by an army of tribal and religious extremists which they said, is a recipe for a Rwanda-like situation.
The letter partly read; “On March 25th, 1998, four years after the genocide that took about one million Rwandan lives, President Bill Clinton visited Kigali, and addressed the people of Rwanda. Among others, he expressed regret for USA’s inaction when all the signs overwhelmingly pointed to an impending genocide. President Clinton stated, “It is important that the world knows that these killings were not spontaneous or accidental.” This view is consistent with those of several scholars of genocide. President Clinton ended his speech with the now famous quote, “Never again” which many global leaders and organizations, including the United Nations, have adopted with expressed commitment. President Bill Clinton specifically said, “We owe to those who died and to those who survived, who loved them, our every effort to increase our vigilance and strengthen our stand against those who would commit such atrocities in the future, here or elsewhere. He stated further, “Never again must we be shy in the face of the evidence.” (https://youtu.be/KqQfEW1LjhA).
“With this background Sir, we come to you as the leader of the free world and the most powerful nation on earth, to seek your kind consideration and intervention in helping to halt the rapidly deteriorating human catastrophe that is ongoing in Nigeria. The US State Department recently warned of the risk of traveling to Nigeria. The siege by an army of tribal and religious extremists is a recipe for a Rwanda-like situation.
“The Collaborative Council of Nigerians in the Diaspora (a leadership council of Nigerian American organizations) is appealing to you to save Nigerians from this massacre. For us, this is a last resort as the Nigerian February 2023 presidential elections draw nearer.
“On October 27, 2022, the US State Department issued a travel advisory to American Citizens traveling to Nigeria to be aware of the crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and maritime crime. (https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/nigeria-travel-advisory.html)”.
They stated that far too many lives have been lost to these senseless and reckless killings, adding that in effect, there is not much time to wait as widespread killings have already started and are escalating in every respect.
Furthermore, CCND said, “Recent examples include the massacre of more than forty Christian worshipers in a church in Owo, Ondo state, https://youtu.be/ZUPaXuohuLM and the assassination of a female Labor Party leader Mrs. Victoria Chimtex in her home in Kaduna state. (https://www.msn.com/en-xl/africa/other/gunmen-kill-kaduna-lp- women-leader-party-fumes/ar-AA14HCB6).
“On November 28 2022, these extremists ransacked the village of Ehamufu in Enugu state killing and maiming in the process. (https://youtu.be/_hALonh-o28).
“All the killings and insecurity have a resemblance to what happened in Rwanda months before the all-out massacre which started on April 6th, 1994. Across the country, stories of horror and killings fill social media, radio, and television broadcasts.
“There seems to be a lack of political will to confront the situation. No one seems to be willing to confront these heavily armed, very mobile foreign extremists who occupy forests all over the country. Using these forests as bases to launch their operations, they terrorize and rape our women and girls, kidnap and extort money in the process.
“Believing that your government is aware of the state of insecurity in Nigeria, the killings, atrocities, and terror, we will not bore you with additional details. Suffice it, however, to mention with thanks the recent intervention of the US forces, which helped avert what we believe could have been the first major step in taking over the country of Nigeria by Islamic extremists who were preparing to occupy the national seat of government.
“Your withdrawal of non-essential services personnel from Nigeria is a strong sign to us that our fears are founded and are corroborated by no lesser power than the United States of America”.
The group called on President Biden to help Nigeria, a country with over 200 million citizens, avoid a Rwanda-like genocide, thereby sparing humanity this impending disaster with a potential for loss of life that could dwarf the unfolding catastrophe in Ukraine.
Continuing they said, “Specifically, we request your kind intervention at all levels of government in Nigeria to call to order all that are responsible for enabling the extremists. We also ask, Mr. President, that you use your position to persuade the international community, including the United Kingdom, to play a positive role in ending the rapidly unfolding catastrophe.
“We ask these in addition to other leverages the White House may deem suitable for the situation so that the “Never again” promise which President Bill Clinton made on behalf of the United States of America would be actualized under your watch. In addition, we ask you, Mr. President, to encourage the Nigerian government to conduct a free, fair, and credible presidential and general elections followed by a smooth transfer of power to the next regime.
“Finally, there is a need for humanitarian support for the millions of internally displaced Nigerians from the ongoing tragedy and we would appreciate it if your government was able to assist with relief efforts.
“We thank you very much for your attention and we continue to appreciate your leadership of our country, the United States of America, the greatest and most powerful nation on earth.
“Thank you, Mr. President, for your kind attention”, the letter stated.
Photo Credit of President Joe Biden: Shutter Stock
