The International Human Rights Protection Forum (IHRPF) has threatened to drag disc jockey, Obianuju Udeh, popularly known as ‘DJ Switch’ to the International Criminal Court (ICC) over misleading reports on the #EndSARS protests in Lekki toll gate on Tuesday.
The humanitarian group, with headquarters in Florida, United States, said Obianuju’s claims could have triggered genocide and war crimes in Nigeria.
The IHRPF made this known in a statement signed by its legal adviser, Barrister Janet Ihezie.
DJ Switch alleged to have witnessed and streamed as armed gunmen fired shots at #EndSARS protesters.
However, the disc jockey who according to reports claimed over 70 persons died from the incident backtracked recently, saying at least 15 casualties were recorded.
And IHRPF said DJ Switch must apologise to the government and citizens of Nigeria for misleading key decision-makers across the globe.
Failure to do so, the group said it won’t hesitate within the next seven days to drag the disc jockey to ICC, Hague, Netherlands for peddling fake news capable of throwing the country into a state of anarchy.
According to the human rights group, Obianuju and her likes were sponsored by desperate politicians seeking to illegitimately overthrow the government.
The group, however, called on the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), United States of America, United Kingdom, China, Canada and other international partners in progress to stand by Nigeria at this difficult moment.
Read the full statement below:
The attention of International Human Rights Protection Forum (IHRPF) with headquarters at Florida, USA has been drawn to attempt by one self acclaimed Nigerian celebrity Obianuju Catherine Udeh otherwise known as DJ Switch to trigger genocide and war crimes in Nigeria through publication of misleading reports following the violent #EndSARS protest at the Lekki Toll Gate that degenerated into something close to anarchy in Lagos State on Tuesday, 20th October, 2020 evening hours after Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu imposed a dusk to dawn curfew.
In what we obviously perceive as a teleguided narrative, DJ Switch was found to be speaking from both sides of her mouth when she granted interview to Premium Times on 23rd October, 2020 alleging that armed soldiers and police officers shot at her and other #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll Gate killing at least a total of 15 people. DJ Switch claimed in a video posted on social media that she and some other survivors of the alleged shootings carried dead bodies of the 15 protesters to the feet of the soldiers, who “threw the bodies into their vans”. To add insult to injury, DJ Switch went ahead to display some bullet shells which she claimed were recovered from the scene of the shootings. We are at a loss as to why DJ Switch could tell a bare-faced lie to Nigerians and the international community that the military killed 15 protesters while bodies of victims could not be found.
In their usual antagonistic tendency to rubbish the present government of President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR on human right protection issues Amnesty International was quick to posit, albeit without any credible evidence, that at least 12 people were killed on Tuesday, 20th October, 2020 at both Alausa and Lekki Toll Gate just to support the lies told by DJ Switch. With the emergence of conflicting picture of what actually transpired at Lekki Toll Gate, IHRPF feels that DJ Switch and her co-peddlers of fake news should as a matter of urgency apologize to the government as well as citizens of Nigeria concerning how they have misled key decision-makers across the globe.
Granted that some lives and valuable properties may have been lost in Lagos State following the violence that erupted after the #EndSARS protest, it would be uncalled for if not bad for individuals no matter how highly placed to fan the embers of mischief targeted at inciting the general public against the military or other security agencies who have over the years done everything possible to keep Nigeria together as one sovereign and indivisible nation. That the Governor of Lagos State came out to openly confirm that there was no death resulting from the so called Lekki Massacre should have been enough reason why the likes of DJ Switch need to take caution in their use of foul languages. We find it rather appalling that the Federal Government of Nigeria was subjected to unwarranted criticism across the globe due to a well coordinated campaign of fake news in the past few days.
Whilst we empathize with families of those who lost beloved ones and business ventures since the #EndSARS protest began, we wish to fully identify with the genuine demand that the Nigeria Police Force be reformed immediately in order to win back the confidence of citizens that Nigeria is a truly safe and democratic country. Being that as it may, IHRPF in line with its mandate to give voice to the voiceless people in the society shall not hesitate within the next 7 days to drag DJ Switch to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague, Netherlands if she does not desist from peddling fake news capable of throwing Nigeria into a state of anarchy, thereby giving room for the commission of genocide and war crimes against the civilian population and military forces alike by enemies who had always wanted to divide Nigeria for their selfish political gains. It is obvious that politicians who could not come to power using the ballot are behind funding of the #EndSARS protest, which later degenerated into a violent attempt to dislodge the legitimate government of Nigeria contrary to Section 5 of the Terrorism (Prevention) (Amendment) Act, 2013. We submit that the utterances and actions of DJ Switch as stated herein are not only criminal but “widespread” and “systematic” within the meaning of Article 7 (1) of the Rome Statute for which the ICC can urgently open an investigation.
On a final note, IHRPF calls on the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), United States of America, United Kingdom, China, Canada and other international partners in progress to stand by Nigeria at this difficult moment as the country strives earnestly to deliver the dividends of democracy to her people in an atmosphere devoid of violence, criminality and sabotage.
