Oliver Igwe and Leo Igwe

On 4 August 2010, the family of human rights defender Mr Leo Igwe were attacked in his family home by armed men. His father, Mr Oliver Igwe, was badly beaten and subsequently had to have his eye removed as a result of his injuries.

Further Information

Leo Igwe is the West Africa representative of the International Humanist and Ethical Union (IHEU) and Executive Secretary of the Nigerian Humanist Movement.

On 4 August 2010, at approximately midnight, two armed men entered Leo Igwe's family home in Mbaise, Imo State, in Southern Nigeria, and shot twice in the air. Leo Igwe's mother, who had recently undergone heart surgery, fainted, after which the men attacked Oliver Igwe, blindfolding him and beating him with stones. He later fell unconscious, after which the men ransacked the house and stole valuables. Oliver Igwe sustained serious injuries and was bleeding from the right eye, nose and mouth. He had bruising to his head, hands, legs and chest. Neighbours rushed him to hospital, and he was later transferred to a specialist eye hospital in Lagos, where his right eye was surgically removed on 11 August as a result of his injuries. He is currently recuperating in hospital.

Leo Igwe reported the case to the police. However, they did not come to the human rights defender's home and have so far refused to open an investigation, telling Leo Igwe to send a formal written request for them to investigate the attack.

Since 2007 Leo Igwe has been working on the case of a ten-year-old girl who was raped in 2006. As a result he and his family have been subject to various forms of intimidation, including judicial harassment. In particular, the alleged perpetrator of the rape and his associates have filed various police and court actions against Leo Igwe, his family and the witnesses to the case. Leo Igwe and Oliver Igwe were arrested in January 2010, and it has been reported that various members of the Igwe family as well as the family of the rape victim have been detained and questioned by the police on numerous occasions since 2007. Front Line previously issued an urgent appeal regarding the harassment and intimidation of the Igwe family on 2 March 2010.

Front Line believes that the attack against Leo Igwe's family is directly related to his work in the defence of human rights, particularly his involvement in the rape case. Front Line reiterates its concern for the physical and psychological integrity of Leo Igwe, Oliver Igwe and their family.