Crime
IIP-SARS Present Final Report on Human Rights Violations.
IIP-SARS Present Final Report on Human Rights Violations.
By: Michael Mike
The Independent Investigation Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police (IIP-SARS) on Tuesday presented its report to the National Human Rights Commission after the payment of N438 million to 100 victims in the last 10 months.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission (NHRC), Tony Ojukwu who received the report on behalf of the Chairperson of the Governing Council of the Commission, Dr. Salamatu Suleiman, noted that Justice Galadima-led panel has dedicated the last two years hearing over 200 petitions on human rights violations.
He said: “Today, we are finally closing a chapter in the work of the panel but opening a new one for the Commission and all government institutions that will be charged with the implementation of the report”.
The NHRC Boss stated that the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, the Police Service Commission, and the Nigerian Police Force have a huge responsibility to ensure full implementation of the decisions and recommendations of the panel.
Ojukwu observed that payment of compensation is just one step in the road to justice, insisting that there is the need to hold indicted officers of the Nigerian Police accountable for these violations.
He said: “I welcome the decisions and indictments issued by the Justice Galadima Panel and I want to assure Nigerians and victims and their families that the National Human Rights Commission already has an established reputation as a leading voice on Police reforms.”
According to Ojukwu, “We will study these recommendations and will work with the Nigerian Police, the relevant Committees of the National Assembly, civil society, and development partners to implement the recommendations”.
Besides, he commended the panel for its far-reaching recommendations on other spheres of justice delivery and human rights enforcement including, the payment of judgment awards, institutional reforms in medical institutions, compliance with the law of the Compulsory Treatment of Gunshot Wounds, and release of corpses amongst other recommendations.
In his address during the presentation of the final report, the Chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima rtd stated, “We have cause to be grateful to the Commission for considering myself and Panel members worthy of undertaking the daunting assignment”.
The former Supreme Court Justice recalled that on two occasions, considering the mood and anxiety of those whose petitions have been concluded, the Commission as a matter of urgency awarded and compensated some victims already, to calm them down and give them hope, not waiting for today’s Report and Recommendations.
He added that the gesture is indicative of the government’s genuine intention in setting the various panels of investigation across the country.
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The eminent jurist, therefore, urged the government to look into the report and recommendations with a view to implementing, even as he suggested setting up a Victims Compensation Fund to settle the awards and compensations.
He further urged the National Economic Council which directed the establishment of various Panels on Human Rights Violations to once again direct the National Human Rights Commission to harmonise these various reports of all the Panels and urgently submit the same to the federal government for quick action.
He thanked other members of the Panel, the Head of the Commission’s legal team, Chino Obiagwu (SAN), and the Commission staff for making the panel work a huge success.
Earlier in his remarks, the Secretary of the Panel, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna recalled that the 2020 END SARS protests by the Nigerian youth resulted in the setting up of the panel to address large-scale human rights violations by the defunct SARS and other units of the Nigerian Police.
He disclosed that out of the over 200 petitions that came from 29 states including the FCT, 95 were fully decided, 54 were withdrawn, 33 were struck out, 56 judgment debt, and 57 were referred to the Commission.
He also revealed that 72 Policemen were indicted for various degrees of human rights violations, 28 recommended for prosecution, 25 for dismissal, 15 for different disciplinary actions, and 4 for reduction of rank.
On compensations, the Human Rights Adviser to the Executive Secretary said 39 compensations were paid for extra-judicial killings, 7 for enforced disappearance, 9 for unlawful arrests and detention, 30 for torture, cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, 6 for threat to life, 6 for confiscation/seizure of property and 3 for abuse of office
IIP-SARS Present Final Report on Human Rights Violations.
Escalated ISWAP/Boko Haram Clashes Claim Over 100 Fighters
By: Zagazola Makama
Fierce rivalry clashes between Boko Haram and the Islamic State of West African Province (ISWAP) terror groups escalated in the Lake Chad Basin over the last one week, claiming over 100 of the fighters of both groups.
From April 18 to April 24, the clashes between Boko Haram factions and ISWAP flared up across the riverine islands of the Tumbums, with the ISWAP gaining more footholds and dislodging the Boko Haram rival factions.
Shortly after ISWAP received a fresh consignment of weapons from Mali, through Niger to Dogon Chukwu Kangarwa, it declared a renewed war, issuing a stern directive to its fighters to completely exterminate the members of the JAS Buduma Boko Haram factions on April 18.
Prior to the clashes, Boko Haram JAS has moved several fighters from upper parts of the riverine Niger to take defensive positions in Kukawa in Borno, while another sets of armed fighters were moved to the Nigeria- Cameroon borders, occupying Dawashi, Dabar Wanzam, Kiri Bulla in Kukawa as well as Lokobili and Kandahar in Cameroon.
On its parts, ISWAP mounted on 20 water vessels, conveying 130 fighters to Doron Kirta Wulgo near Nigeria- Cameroon. More ISWAP fighters arrived from Kwalaram, while others trooped in from Ngala and Marte, in preparation for the major encounter.
The clash, which erupted on April 19, at Garin Mallam Ya’u, and Mallam Karamti when ISWAP led by Commander Akilu, led to the killing of several Boko Haram fighters.
The ISWAP elements later seized six of JAS Boko Haram’s motorcycles and destroyed them in the process.
In another encounter, JAS elements swiftly cordoned and captured about 15 ISWAP members at Tumbum Abuja. The clash however did not last long and subsided immediately after the capture of the rival counterpart.
On the same day, ISWAP fighters stormed Tumbum Allura, in Kukawa LGA and killed several Boko Haram fighters. ISWAP, however, lost a few of its fighters in the process while forcing the surviving JAS fighters to flee.
The ISWAP fighters chased the fleeing Boko Haram fighters to the axis of Kariya and Koleram in Kukawa, which led to another gun battle.
Again, the ISWAP fighters overpowered the rival group and killed scores of the Boko Haram fighters, including a top Commander, Khaid Allayi Gana.
Seventy armed JAS Boko Haram men later returned to Garin Mallam Ya’u to bury its neutralized Mujahedeens, while counting its losses and licking its wounds.
The intensified rival clashes forced about 10 Boko Haram fighters to surrender with arms to the troops of Sector 4, Multinational Joint Task Force at Nguiguimi, Diffa region, Niger Republic.
Two other fighters surrendered to troops of Sector 3, Multi National Joint Task Force(MNJTF) in Monguno.
The JAS group, led by Ibrahim Bakura Doro aka Bakaura Buduma, has remained a formidable enemy of ISWAP ever since Shekau’s death. It has repeatedly attacked ISWAP positions around the lake.
The ISWAP, on the other hand, have upscaled efforts to reclaim its position taken control by the JAS group.
Both ISWAP and JAS have lost more fighters from rival clashes with each other since 2021 than in confrontations with government security forces.
The incessant, and ever worsening, clashes between ISWAP and Boko Haram has continued to provide ampler opportunities for government security forces to seize, to craft strategies to exterminate the two rival groups and stamp out the terror scorching the Lake Chad Basin.
Escalated ISWAP/Boko Haram Clashes Claim Over 100 Fighters
NSCDC Rescues 10 Suspected Victims of Human Trafficking in Abuja
By: Michael Mike
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has intercepted in Abuja 10 suspected victims of human trafficking, purportedly being sponsored for illegal migration abroad.
The victims were accosted at Zuba motor park, Abuja, by officers of the FCT command of the NSCDC, following a tip off on their return from Minna, Niger State, where they had gone to process their International passport as directed by their sponsor.
The victims whose age bracket was between 24 and 34 years, consisted of a male and nine females, and all claimed to be indigenes of Ondo State.
It was gathered that each of them paid N80,000 to facilitate the procurement of the International passport.
According to a statement on Monday by the spokesman of the FCT Command of the NSCDC, Samuel Idoko, the intercepted persons also confessed to being promised migration abroad to undertake ready made jobs, especially in North Africa and Canada by a yet to be identified sponsor who according to them, resides in Okitipupa, Ondo state.
While handing over the 10 suspected victims to the Nigeria Agency for the prohibition of Trafficking in Person (NAPTIP), the FCT Commandant, Olusola Odumosu, warned Nigerians on the dangers of illegal migration abroad.
He said: “Be careful of the types of people that are promising you a better future abroad, don’t be desperate because, some of them end up ruining your lives .
“They deceive you and collect huge sums of money from you that there are ready made jobs, whereas, you may end up in slavery or forced to be sex workers.
“If you must travel abroad, follow the right channel that’ll give you rest of mind, don’t allow somebody to seize your international passport abroad, and place you under an oath that you’ll regret.”
The Commandant further stated that, the victims were handed over to NAPTIP being the agency in charge of human trafficking to carry out further investigations and actions within the ambit of the law.
NSCDC Rescues 10 Suspected Victims of Human Trafficking in Abuja
Boko Haram slaughter 27 fishermen in Cameroon
By: Zagazola Makama
No fewer than 27 fishermen were slaughtered and 3 others abducted by the Jamā’at Ahl as-Sunnah
lid-Da’wah wa’l-Jihād, Boko Haram terrorists group in the fringes of Lake Chad in the border between Cameroon- Nigeria.
It was gathered that terrorists suspected to be from the Buduma faction of Abou Ummaymah, attacked a local fishing community harboring most fishermen from Nigeria at Island Kofiya near Darak in the Republic of Cameroon.
Intelligence sources told Zagazola Makama that they asked them to lie down, tie their hands behind their backs before they started slaughtering them.
The sources said the terrorists also abducted four other fishermen after accusing them of spying for the ISWAP faction
The bodies of the fishermen were later recovered during a search and rescue operation by troops and their colleagues who received the news from victims who fled the attack scene.
Boko Haram slaughter 27 fishermen in Cameroon
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