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NHRC Condemns Southern Kaduna Killings, Advocates Community Policing …Asks Security Agencies To Stop Blame Game
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has strongly condemned the incessant killings and wanton destruction of properties in various communities in Southern Kaduna, Kaduna State, and some other parts of the country, charging the police and other law enforcement agencies to sit up and stop the blame game so as to bring the perpetrators to book.
The Executive Secretary of the commission, Tony Ojukwu, stated this while reacting to the current wave of killings in Southern Kaduna.
According to him, the primary duty of government and its security agencies is to protect lives and property of citizens as guaranteed in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as other national, regional and international treaties to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He stated that the alleged invasion of Gora Gan village in Zango-Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State, which resulted in the killing of no fewer than 10 persons, including a 7-year-old boy and the village head “is most annoying and devastating”.
He also lamented a similar incident in Kakun Daji village in Kaura Local Government Area of Kaduna State where 21 people were allegedly murdered in cold blood by gunmen.
The NHRC boss, therefore, called on the relevant ministries, departments and agencies of government like the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to visit the affected communities and provide the necessary humanitarian support and aid to the families of victims and survivors to forestall further violation of their human rights.
Ojukwu called on the police and other law enforcement agencies to refrain from watching helplessly while the lives of those whom they are supposed to protect are cut short by miscreants and other categories of enemies of the state.
“This is to rekindle people’s confidence in the government which has a sacred duty to protect their lives and properties despite any security challenges”, he said.
The chief human rights officer in Nigeria opined that state and local government policing structures can no longer be wished away, especially in the wake of grave security challenges like senseless killings, kidnappings, banditry, sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), communal clashes, ethnic and religious violence, among others, in various parts of the country.
According to Ojukwu, “most of these criminal elements are citizens and they live amongst the people in various towns and communities. Accordingly, state and local government policing will surely rid the society of criminals who unfortunately pose a serious challenge to the protection of human rights over the years”.
He also reiterated his call for the implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on Reform of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the Nigeria Police Force which, amongst others, recommended the establishment of state and local government police to check the spate of criminality and insecurity in the country.
“The commission is also urging Nigerians to volunteer information to the police and other security agencies so as to enhance intelligence-led policing which is the practice in some other climes where insecurity has posed a challenge like in Nigeria. The security agencies must rise to the demands of the moment and stop the blame game going on presently”, he added.
Nobel Laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, has called on Nigerians to reject silence in the face of extrajudicial killings and other abuses of human rights.
Soyinka stressed that accountability and civic courage remain essential to rebuilding public confidence in the nation’s institutions.
He made the call during the 28th Wole Soyinka Lecture held in Port Harcourt, last Friday as part of activities marking his 92nd birthday.
The lecture, themed “Reclaiming the Nigerian State through Accountability, Justice and Civic Courage,” drew participants from different sectors of society.
The renowned playwright and human rights advocate said the country’s greatest tragedy was not only the unlawful killings carried out by state and non-state actors, but also the silence that often follows such incidents, allowing perpetrators to evade justice.
According to him, indifference by citizens to abuses of power and violations of fundamental human rights has contributed to the persistence of extrajudicial killings and other forms of injustice across the country.
Soyinka said he dedicated this year’s lecture to victims of unlawful killings, noting that the event was intended to honour individuals who had lost their lives as a result of failures within the justice system and society’s inability to protect the sanctity of human life.
He stressed that the lecture was dedicated to what he described as the basic unit of every society – the human being, and urged Nigerians to place greater value on human dignity irrespective of ethnicity, religion or social status.
The Nobel Laureate recalled several incidents of violence, including the fatal shooting and killing of a young man in Ugheli in Delta State by a police officer, and the mob killing of Deborah Yakubu in Sokoto State sometime ago, lamenting that many of those responsible are yet to face justice.
He expressed concern that some perpetrators of violent crimes had openly admitted their actions without fear of prosecution, describing such situations as evidence of serious failures within the nation’s justice system.
Soyinka maintained that when justice is delayed or denied, public confidence in state institutions continues to erode, thereby encouraging further violations of human rights.
Responding to critics who accuse him of promoting religious or ethnic divisions whenever he spoke on such issues, Soyinka dismissed the allegations and pointed out that his advocacy has always centred on the protection of human life and the rule of law.
He urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and continue demanding justice in cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, including the recent shooting of a young man by a police officer, stressing that every life deserves equal protection under the law.
The literary icon also recalled an earlier pledge by a past incoming president to make public the files relating to unresolved assassinations and extrajudicial killings, questioning the status of the promised investigations.
He challenged citizens to continue asking questions about unresolved cases, insisting that justice, accountability and respect for human dignity are indispensable to building a peaceful, democratic and inclusive Nigerian society.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has clarified that there was no fire at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, contrary to its earlier advisory.
Earlier yesterday, FAAN had announced that a fire incident had occurred at Terminal 2 of the nation’s busiest airport, and assured that its Aerodrome Rescue and Firefighting Service had been deployed to contain the situation.
There were also reports that activities were briefly disrupted at the airport yesterday after smoke was seen inside parts of the terminal.
Videos circulating online showed passengers kept standing outside the terminal while firefighters responded to the incident.
However, in an update issued less than two hours later by the Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Henry Agbebire, and posted on FAAN’s official X handle, the authority said preliminary findings showed that the smoke seen at the terminal was caused by the discharge of the facility’s FM-200 fire suppression system.
“Further to our earlier advisory regarding the incident at Terminal 2 of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos, the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) wishes to provide the following update,” the statement read.
“Preliminary findings indicate that there was no fire at the terminal. The smoke observed within the affected area resulted from the discharge of the terminal’s FM-200 fire suppression system. The reason for the activation of the fire suppression system is currently being investigated,” FAAN stated.
The authority said normal operations had resumed at the terminal while investigations were ongoing to determine the cause of the incident.
“Normal operations have since resumed at the terminal, while detailed investigations are ongoing to determine the exact cause of the incident,” the statement added.
The authority thanked passengers, airlines, airport users and other stakeholders for their understanding and cooperation.
FAAN appreciated the understanding and cooperation of passengers, airlines, airport users and all stakeholders, and reiterated its commitment to the safety and security of all airport operations.