Nigerian military personnel must stop abusing civilians On the 3rd of November 2008 on Muhri Okunola Street in Nigeria's high-brow Victoria Island, a young lady who was driving home from work was too slow to move her vehicle out of the way of a rampaging military convoy. What ensued was a scene which is played out daily in various parts of Nigeria. Nigeria's military personnel regularly unleash terror on civilians who have the misfortune of being in their way as they drive dangerously like demons escaped from the depths of hell, bullying their way through the usually stand-still Lagos traffic. On the day in question, six armed bodyguards of one military officer, travelling in a convoy made up of the officer's personal saloon car and pilot truck, descended on Uzoma Okere, brutally beat her up and stripped her almost naked. Other civilians, including workers from the nearby offices of the global multinational consultancy PriceWaterhouseCoopers, who tried to come to Uzoma's aid were not only brutalised, those who tried to capture the event on their cameras had the cameras destroyed by the marauding soldiers. Someone however managed to capture the video clip linked below from a nearby PWC office window. Click to watch the show of shame: http://www.youtube.com/watchv=j49wu4vVZkM The unprovoked brutalisation, many times involving point-blank shooting, of Nigerian civilians by members of the Nigerian military has gone on long enough and must stop immediately. The madness has several times in the past resulted in civilian deaths. From all indications, the Nigerian military has declared war on defenceless civilians. This petition is a call to Nigerian authorities to put an end to the madness of these animals in human skin, and discipline the naval officer whose underlings carried out this particular despicable act. The officer and his men should be made to face trial in the appropriate military and civil courts for acts of violence against civilians, and put behind bars. This petition will be sent to the Nigerian President, the leadership of the Nigerian Senate and House of Representatives, members of Nigeria's military high command, the Inspector General of Police and the governors of Nigeria's 36 States as well as the Minister in charge of the Federal Capital, by November 30, 2008. Uzoma Okere was the victim on November 3. It could have been your sister, wife, niece or friend. It could even have been you. How many more people do these animals in human skin have to maim and kill before they are stopped If you support our efforts to rid Nigeria of these bestial military officers and ratings, these dregs of society and scum of humanity, please add your signature below.

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