The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned the killing of 16 soldiers (officers and men) and some civilians on Thursday, March 14, 2024, by suspected armed youths.
The killings were carried out by youths from the Okuama community in the Ugheli South local government area of Delta State when the soldiers were on a peace mission to the community.
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In a statement signed by the executive secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu (SAN), he said the commission rejected the practice whereby aggrieved individuals and groups take the law into their own hands, attacking and killing law enforcement agents.
Ojukwu said such behaviours occasion human rights violations and distrust and amount to violations of the right to life and dignity of the human person as guaranteed under Article 3 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), Article 1 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (ACHPR), and other international instruments to which Nigeria is a signatory.
He said everyone is entitled to life and security of their person under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended) and warned that these senseless killings of security agents, which have been going on in several parts of the country, are not acceptable.
He called on Nigerians to engage and collaborate with the law enforcement agents (LEAs) by providing them with the necessary information that will assist them in fishing out those behind these heinous and dastardly acts and ensuring that they are prosecuted and punished in accordance with the law.
Ojukwu also urged the authorities to put the necessary mechanisms in place to arrest everyone allegedly involved in the gruesome murder. This is aimed at bringing all perpetrators to justice and preventing further occurrences in the future.
“We are keenly monitoring the situation and the official investigation in this case to ensure that those who are behind this inhumane and wicked act are quickly arrested, prosecuted, and punished in accordance with the relevant international, regional, and municipal laws,” he said.
The commission urged everyone, including the affected community and the Nigerian Armed Forces, to sheath their swords and refrain from any form of reprisal while awaiting the outcome of the investigation. This is to avoid further escalation of the crisis that could worsen tension and human rights violations.