Group denounces slave trading in Libya

• Urges suspension of diplomatic ties, expulsion from AU

A pro-human rights group, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has urged the Federal Government to push for the expulsion of Libya from the African Union (AU) over the alleged sale of Africans, including Nigerian migrants, as slaves.

The group said the decisive step was necessary to send a strong message to the Libyan authorities that the rest of Africa frowns s at the degrading and dehumanising treatment of Africans on their own continent. 

The group said: “It is our considered view that Abuja should move beyond these emergency response towards exploring other soft power assets to cut bilateral ties, as well as working towards imposing sanctions and trade embargoes on Libya. These strong steps would make it very clear that these barbaric acts in Libya are totally unacceptable.”

A statement at the weekend by Executive Director of CHRICED, Ibrahim Zikirullahi, called on the Nigerian government to lead efforts in demonstrating the anger of the entire continent to what it described as these shocking crimes against the black man because Nigeria, in spite of its challenges, remains the leader of the black race.

The group said it is disturbing and shocking beyond description to see gory online videos showing how Africans, including Nigerians, are being auctioned and dehumanised in scenes reminiscent of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, which displaced millions of Africans from their homelands. 

“We urge Nigeria to endlessly pressure the authorities in Libya until these crimes are investigated and the perpetrators brought to book. It is clear to us that if Nigeria does not express sufficient outrage over these crimes against its citizens, it would have become complicit by virtue of its silence, the statement said.