Abuja – The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned Ms Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions.
This is contained in a statement issued on Friday in Lagos by Mr Adetokunbo Mumuni, SERAP Executive Director, made available to News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) online.
SERAP has urged Callamard to prevail on the Nigerian authorities to halt further killings of innocent citizens in Southern Kaduna.
It said Callamard ought to urgently investigate recent allegations of killings of over 800 citizens mostly women, children and the elderly in that part of the country by suspected herdsmen.
It added that she should identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice and to provide reparations to victims.
The organisation also asked Callamard to request to visit Nigeria to conduct fact-finding mission into the circumstances surrounding the killings.
“In the petition dated 30 December 2016 and signed by SERAP executive director Adetokunbo Mumuni the organisation expressed `concern that the killings of citizens in Southern Kaduna of Nigeria amount to serious violations of the rights to life.
“Also, the security of the human person; to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being; and right to property guaranteed by not only the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended),
“but also the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.”
The statement quoted the petition as saying SERAP contended that Nigerian authorities had failed and/or neglected to respect human rights.
The petition stated that Nigerian authority had also failed to exercise due diligence to ensure that these rights were not violated by private individuals such as herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators.
It said Nigerian government should therefore be held to account for failing or neglecting to guarantee and protect the rights of the people in Southern Kaduna.
“Regardless of whether such violations are directly or indirectly attributable to the state or its officials.
“SERAP is concerned that the government has failed and/or neglected to create an environment in Southern Kaduna to end the unlawful killings by failing to move their legal and institutional machinery towards the actual realisation of these rights.
“It is in fact the failure by the government to take adequate measures to prevent the violence which has contributed to the increasing number of victims.
“SERAP believes that the killings would not have taken place if the Nigerian authorities have taken measures to prevent their happening and to address persistent impunity of those responsible for the violations and abuses,’’ it said.
It noted that lack of accountability for the attacks by perpetrators across the country has continued to create a culture of impunity which clearly was not compatible with the rule of law in a democratic society.
“According to the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna State, a total of 808 people were killed in 53 villages across the four local governments’ areas in the state ridden by crisis.
“The church leaders also said that 57 people were injured; farm produce estimated at N5.5 billion were also destroyed, and a total of 1,422 houses and 16 churches were burnt during the attacks.
“The affected communities are spread across Kaura, Sanga, Jama’a and Kauru Local Government Areas where there had been persistent attacks on communities by gunmen believed to be Fulani herdsmen,’’ it said.
