URGENT INTERNATIONAL APPEAL – TORTURE AND PRESUMED KILLING OF A CAT IN NIGERIA – REQUEST FOR IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION
Testo email completo
Dear Sir/Madam,
I am writing to express my profound indignation, outrage and grave concern regarding a deeply disturbing video circulating on social media that appears to show a helpless cat being deliberately subjected to severe cruelty and torture by two young people in Nigeria.
The images are extremely distressing and have caused profound indignation beyond Nigeria's borders. The suffering inflicted upon this defenseless animal is deeply shocking and cannot be treated as an insignificant or private matter.
In the video, the cat appears to be restrained with a strap, band or similar object while being subjected to deliberate and violent acts of cruelty. The animal is completely defenseless and appears to suffer intensely. Based on the material currently available, the cat may subsequently have died as a consequence of the abuse, although this must be officially established.
The exact village or locality where the incident occurred has unfortunately not yet been identified. We have attempted to trace the original source of the material and locate the incident through publicly available information and social media, but the exact location remains unknown.
The following X posts are provided as references to publicly accessible copies of the material currently circulating online. They are provided solely as potential investigative leads; we are not asserting that any of the accounts below are the original creators or perpetrators of the abuse:
https://x.com/Iam_ebube09/status/2096508906373521718
https://x.com/AdetunjiAdewolu/status/2096502587193184504
A further copy of the video has also been circulated by the X account @harri_onuoha (Harrison Onuoha), whose profile indicates Imo, Nigeria. This information should not be interpreted as evidence that the incident occurred in Imo, nor that this account is the original source. It is provided solely as another potential lead for tracing the origin of the material.
We therefore respectfully ask the competent Nigerian authorities and animal-welfare organisations to use their investigative resources and local networks to identify where this incident occurred, trace the original source of the video and establish what happened to this animal.
The fact that the exact location is currently unknown must not prevent an investigation from being initiated. The video itself and the various online copies may contain evidence capable of helping to identify the location and the individuals involved.
We are also unable to establish with certainty the ages of the two individuals shown in the material. They appear to be very young. Their identities and ages should therefore be established as part of any official investigation. If any of them are children or adolescents, the matter should also be examined within the framework of Nigerian legislation concerning the protection of children, while ensuring that the suffering and protection of the animal remain central to the investigation.
We also draw attention to Nigerian legal provisions concerning animal cruelty. Section 495 of the Nigerian Criminal Code addresses conduct including cruelly beating, kicking, ill-treating, torturing, infuriating or terrifying animals.
We therefore urgently request:
* that the video and all available copies or related posts be examined and preserved as potential evidence;
* that the original source of the video be traced;
* that every possible effort be made to identify the exact village, locality or Local Government Area where the incident occurred;
* that the individuals shown in the video be identified and their ages established;
* that an official investigation be opened into the apparent torture and abuse of the cat;
* that the fate and whereabouts of the animal be established and, if there is any possibility that it is still alive, that it receive immediate veterinary assistance and protection;
* that anyone responsible for perpetrating, facilitating or encouraging the abuse be investigated under applicable Nigerian law;
* and that relevant animal-welfare organisations and competent authorities cooperate to ensure that this case is not ignored.
We particularly appeal to Nigerian cat-rescue organisations, animal-welfare groups, journalists and responsible members of civil society to help identify the location of this incident and establish the fate of the cat.
The international circulation of these images has caused genuine outrage and distress among people outside Nigeria. Acts of apparent cruelty against a defenseless animal do not cease to be a matter of concern simply because they occurred within Nigeria's borders.
The international community is watching, and people who have seen these images are asking for accountability, protection for animals and a serious response from the competent authorities.
We fully respect Nigerian institutions, laws and investigative procedures. Our appeal is made in the name of animal welfare and out of profound international concern. We ask that this case be treated with the seriousness it deserves and that every reasonable effort be made to identify the location, the individuals involved and the fate of the animal.
We sincerely hope that the competent authorities and Nigerian animal-welfare organisations will act urgently and ensure that this case does not disappear without investigation.
We would be grateful for any information regarding the identification of the location, the investigation undertaken and, above all, the fate and condition of the cat.
Yours faithfully,
Italy