Irrepressible pro life advocate and neuroscientist, Prof (Dr) Philip Njemanze, has given details how he petitioned the International Criminal Court, ICC, over the demolition of the ancestral Eke Ukwu Owere Market, Owerri.
The Medical practititoner had also petitioned UNESCO to lament demolition heritage and ancestral sites in Owerri by then Okorocha administration.
On August 26, 2018, then Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha had demolished the Eke Ukwu market, pulling down stalls and destroyed good worth over N1 billion naira.
An 11 year old boy, Somtochukwu Ibeanusi, was killed by a stray bullet by security forces, during the demolition of the market which attracted local and international outrage.
Njemanze, a native of Amawom in Owerri, who strongly kicked against the demolition of the market held so dear by Owerri people said he wrote to the International Criminal Court, ICC, The Hague, Netherlands to lament “the dastardly act satanic act accomplished with human hands”
Njemanze said the demolition of the market by the Okorocha administration was crime against humanity.
In a letter to Dr. Mechtild Rossler, Director of Heritage Division and World Heritage Centre, UNESCO and copied to Prosecutor, ICC, Njemanze under the auspicies of Owerri Indigeneous People Youth of Amawom, partly wrote “ These actions are Crimes Against Humanity, which is under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in Den Hague, The Netherlands.
Some of the requests made by the Njemanze led group include “An Executive Presidential Order stopping all interference, demolition, removal of historical sites including Eke Ukwu Owerri Market, buildings, arts and cultural centres of the Indigenous People of Owerri and in Imo State.
“To mandate UNESCO World Heritage Centre’s investigators in collaboration with Federal Ministry of Information and Culture to further uncover the facts of the historical sites in Owerri using indigenous knowledge base, for enlistment and protection under the UNESCO World Heritage Convention.
The ICC, in its response to Njemanze’s requests had said it had taken up investigation on the matter
Four years after the demolition of the market, Governor Hope Uzodimma, has been embarked on rebuilding the market.
Click Below For ICC Letter.
https://innonews.com.ng/wp-content/uploads/ICC-PDF.pdf
