General Manager, Rivers State Newspaper Corporation, Mr. Celestine Ogolo (left), presenting a souvenir to a retiree of the corporation, Mr. Thompson Eludee at Polo Park, GRA, Port Harcourt last Saturday. Photo: Obina Prince Dele

A human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions to compel the President Goodluck Joanthan-led federal Government to halt any alleged training of snipers for poltical purposes.

SERAP’s petition followed allegation last week by former President, Olusegun Obasanjo who accused the government of Jonathan of training snipers and other armed personnel secretly and clandestinely acquiring weapons for political purposes like Abacha, and training them where Abacha trained his own killers.

The organization called for the investigation of the allegation and for whoever is involved to be brought to justice.

The petition, signed by Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP Executive Director, reads in part: “We are seriously concerned that the allegation, if true, amounts to a grave breah of international law, the citizens. It also constitutes an assault on the rule of law, and is entirely inconsistent with the practice of a democratic society, which Nigeria strives to become”.

“The government has a particular responsibility to protect all citizens and others resident in the country against human rights violations. The right to life is widely regarded as the supreme right.

The training of sinipers will invariably lead to a pervasive climate of insecurity and the absence of the rule of law.”

The petition added that the legal right to life and protection against extrajudicial execution is recognized by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party, saying that Article 6 of the Covenant states that “No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.” This right is non-derogable even in times of emergency”.

The organization therefore urged the Special Rapporteur to thoroughly investigate the allegations, and to ask the Nigerian government to halt the training of snipers and other armed personnel as the continuation of this will be inimical to the citizens’ protection of their right to life and other associated human rights.

Meanwhile, the Presidency yesterday   challenged former President Olusegun Obasanjo to provide evidence backing his claims that President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration is training secret snipers towards 2015 general election.

In a statement by the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, the Presidency asked the former President to prove his claims or forever remain silent.

The statement reads: “President Jonathan is running a people’s government. He does not need any snipers. His legitimacy comes from the people. Those who are alleging the existence of snipers should step forward and provide the evidence or shut up forever and go down in history as spineless cowards, driven by sheer greed and indecency.”

The Presidency also described the call for Jonathan’s impeachment as reckless and irresponsible.

“We have noted with utter disdain, the reckless and irresponsible call by the APC yesterday for the National Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against President Goodluck Jonathan.”

“Ordinarily, we would not have dignified Alhaji Lai Mohammed’s latest vituperation in the service of his paymasters with a response, but we thought it necessary to warn that the Federal Government will not standby idly and let the nation be plunged into unnecessary crises and political instability because of the desperation and apparent readiness of the APC spokesman and his gang of power-seeking desperadoes to sacrifice the well-being of the country on the altar of their selfish personal ambitions.”

“The Presidency totally condemns the decision by Alhaji Mohammed and his party to move further beyond the bounds of honourable and acceptable political conduct with the senseless call for the impeachment of a President who continues to sincerely devote himself to the discharge of the sacred mandate freely given to him by Nigerians.”

“The APC, which remains a minority party with doubtful credentials in the National Assembly, knows fully well that its attempt to hector and blackmail a Parliament dominated by loyal members of the President’s party, the PDP, into an impeachment process, will come to nothing”, the statement added.