Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to “seize the opportunity presented by the on-going European Union-African Union summit in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire to push for a joint EU-AU international commission of inquiry to investigate allegations of slave auction in Libya, especially given the appalling plight of several Nigerians who are among those trapped in Libya.”
SERAP’s statement comes ahead of the meeting between the EU and the AU in Abidjan.
“Nigerian and other African victims of abuses in Libya are crying out for leadership. They urgently need African leaders to act,” Adetokunbo Mumuni, director of SERAP said in the statement.
“Given Nigeria’s leadership role in the region, Buhari can and should provide greater leadership to push European and African leaders to go beyond merely condemning the atrocities and act swiftly to end the shocking abuses, remove Nigerians and other African women, men and children still trapped in Libya from harm’s way, and guarantee their safety and well-being.”
SERAP suggests Buhari should press the summit to request the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights to urgently dispatch humanitarian teams to Libya to help those trapped there to leave the country in a safe and humane manner.
It cites “serious allegations of violations and abuses of international human rights law and humanitarian law against Nigerians and other African women, men and children in Libya with absolute impunity.”
“Family members are denied access to their loved ones or even information on the fate of Nigerians and other African citizens trapped in Libya. Nigerians and other African citizens trapped in Libya cannot afford to wait any longer for African leaders to end their suffering.
It says a commission of inquiry should have mandate to establish facts and circumstances surrounding the “slave auction and other atrocities” being perpetrated in Libya against Nigerians.
“Among Nigerians trapped in Libya is 21-year old Victory from Edo state, who told CNN that he was sold at slave auction market. Victory fled home and spent a year and four months—and his life savings—trying to reach Europe.
“In a video obtained by CNN, three men were auctioned off to a buyer as “big strong boys for farm work” and were sold for $400 apiece. The men, one of them identified as a Nigerian, are victims of a growing industry of slave markets operating in several locations in Libya.”
