The Secretary General Amnesty International a foremost Human rights Organization, Mr. Salil Shetty visited the governor of Rivers State Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi over the weekend.
The Secretary who was in Port Harcourt arrived on Sunday, 28th October, 2012.
Briefing newsmen at 62 Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, office of (HURSDEF) the secretary General said he was in the state to interface with the government and also to encourage all those suffering from all manner of Human Right abuses in the Rivers State and the Niger-Delta at large.
Mr. Shetty blamed the state governor Rt. Hon. Amaechi for what he called forced eviction without proper dialogue, compensation and relocation according to the international and best practice in the world.
The Secretary General who was accompanied on the visit by the Director Amnesty International Netherlands, Mr. Edward Nadeslly and the Nigerian Researcher said that Amnesty have over 3 million members across the world.
He said the international communities have for long abolished execution of criminals and called on Governor Adam Oshomole to cancel the planned execution of two inmates in Edo prison. The Amnesty Secretary General told reporters that international justice centre will be opened in Hague to try offenders.
The Amnesty Boss said one of his discussions with Governor Amaechi was the right of those living in the waterfront in Port Harcourt and the government should stop further demolition.
When asked what was the response of the governor, he said the property owners in the two affected waterfronts, Njemanze and Abonnema Wharf were compensated.
Mr. Shetty said he told the governor that before the demolition should have taken place proper dialogue would have been done.
Stressing further on demolition, the Secretary General told journalists that with all these demolition and less replacement by government the cost of house rent in Rivers State is soaring high.
The India born Secretary General said that Nigeria is one of the important countries in Africa and he is here to put pressure on the government to change its plan.
The Amnesty Boss used the occasion to call on other Human Right Organizations to end human rights abuse in the society while calling on people to collaborate with them.
Earlier, in his welcome address, the Executive Director, Human rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF), Mr. Justine Ijeomah said the body is committed to promote and protect human rights in the state, as they fight against cases of extra-judicial killing, arbitrary detention, torture and other cruel in human and degrading treatment to those in police custody.
He said they have intervened for over 800 children in police detention and over 1000 adults in police custody in 2012 alone.
The governor in his remark told the Secretary General that he is committed to giving the land back to those who will develop accordingly. ###
Pius Dukor
