Nasarawa killings: NGO asks NHRC to conduct full probe

A justice reform organisation has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to launch full investigation into the recent killings of protesters across the country and make findings public. The Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) in a statement over the weekend commended the NHRC for commencing investigation into the “killing of protesting […]

A justice reform organisation has asked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to launch full investigation into the recent killings of protesters across the country and make findings public.
The Citizens United for the Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE) in a statement over the weekend commended the NHRC for commencing investigation into the “killing of protesting workers in Nasarawa State who were demanding the implementation of a new salary template.”
The executive secretary of CURE, Sylvester Uhaa, also identified the killing of members of the Shiite movement in Zaria and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in Onitsha on December 12, 2015 and May 30, 2016 respectively as cases requiring attention.
He commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his assurances that the federal government would attend to the report of the judicial panel on the clash between the military and Shiites.
He called on Mr President to act transparently, truthfully and decisively on the matter as it had a lot of implications for the rule of law and protection of human rights, especially the protection of the right to life.
“The right to peaceful assembly is a right protected under international, regional and domestic laws. The use of lethal force to disperse any peaceful assembly is unlawful, barbaric and cruel, and must be punished,” he said.
“Because the right to peaceful assembly is a right and not a privilege, prior permission should not be required by law enforcement, except for the purpose of facilitating the enjoyment of this right and to ensure that other citizens enjoy their rights as well.
“Therefore, failure to notify authorities does not render an assembly unlawful and should not form any basis for dispersal. And shooting into the crowd is prohibited.
“Also, the right to peaceful assembly is an individual right, and not a group right, meaning that the violent actions of some participants cannot be used as an excuse to employ lethal force to disperse those whose intention and actions remain peaceful.
“Also, organisers of peaceful assembly should not be held civilly, criminally and administratively accountable for organising or participating in a peaceful assembly,” he said.
Meanwhile, the NHRC has assured that it would ensure justice in the killing of two Nasarawa State workers.
A statement by the chief press officer of the commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed said the commission would also ensure that appropriate compensations were given to the families of the slain persons as well as those injured.
She said following the police shooting, the commission received a petition from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) led by Comrade Ayuba Wabba urging it to thoroughly investigate the matter and bring the culprits to book.
“We demand a fair and just investigation of this tragedy,” she quoted the NLC as saying. “Appropriate punishment should be meted to whoever gave out the order for the shooting and those who did the shooting that led to these casualties.”
She said the NHRC Executive Secretary, Prof Bem Angwe, visited Governor Tanko Al-Makura, who explained that while the government was deliberating with labour leaders over the proposed salary cuts  he received information that some persons had been shot.