Thirdly, if these people are really Boko Haram and that they have gunned down some of them, it is also curious that in the first hours of their being evacuated to the hospital, there was no security presence; no security operatives posted to the hospital to ensure that they did not abscond.

This collaborates the statement of the surviving victims that they were mere squatters who were paying a token to the security person so that they would live in that house, and that they have earlier been warned that they had five days to leave that place or be dealth with.

I think this is not one incident we should hide under the generic term of terrorist activities so that the public will have no sympathy for the victims.

I think it calls for further inquiries. There are many questions begging for answers so that extra judicial killings of Nigeria should not be perpetrated under the guise of fighting terrorists. It is a careless and unlawful killing of Nigerians whose only crime was that they were squatters in an uncompleted building allegedly belonging to a retired General.

Security agencies are serving some interests  —Alhaji Shettima Yerima, National President, Arewa Consultative Youth Forum

They should call for probe. We are not running a banana republic where people will just wake up because they are security agencies and decide to take peoples lives at any given time without concrete evidence. Today, as a result of these extra judicial killings, we have the issue of Boko Haram that we cannot control.

Mallam Yerima Shettima

The leader of the group was killed, not because he has not committed any crime but we are saying, take him through the process of law, probe him, make findings, let him make confessional statements, then execute him through legal processes, but not in this case where anybody will just wake up at any given time. Once there is an allegation, people will just open fire.

People will just  kill people and get away with it. Whose interest are the security agencies serving? Are the security agencies working to kill people or to protect lives and properties. Those are things we must clearly define. So, to that extent, I am of the view that they must be probed so that others will learn. If somebody is found wanting, they should deal with that person. Nobody is above the law especially when innocent souls are being taken away like that. No, it’s really not right.

The APO killings is extra judicial murder— Shehu Sani, President, Civil Rights Congress of Nigeria

The gruesome killing of the Abuja Apo seven by the security agents stands condemned. The justification for the killings is untenable and stands rejected. The testimonies given by survivors of the extrajudicial killings is both revealing and raises ethical and professional questions on the conduct of the state apparatus. The narrative given by the security agencies, on the circumstances of the killings is an idiotic and unconvincing tale. It is a poorly written fictional script meant for the dumbest. We are for now convinced that the alleged terrorists murdered were squatters.

The culture of wanton killings and gross human rights violations perpetrated by security agents in the guise of fighting terror is legally wrong and morally unacceptable. The raging insurgency in the north was sparked by extra judicial killings in 2009 and is sustained by same erroneous strategy. We have not as a nation learnt our lessons. We cannot continue to accept excuses for arbitrariness and bringadage.

Shehu Sani

So much blood has been spilled for expediency. If we accept the extra judicial killing of ‘insurgents’ by security agents, we have logically issued a license for impunity. Fighting insurgency should not be an excuse to kill innocent persons and commit heinous atrocities with the seal or stamp of the state.

The Apo seven killings is a micro indicator of carnage and massacre going on behind the veil of the state of emergency in the North eastern part of the country. It also stands condemned. Discretion, accountability and responsibility in the use of lethal force is indispensable in a free and democratic state.

The state has a moral and constitutional duty to combat violence and terror and restore peace but not at the price of the life of innocent persons. We demand that the Federal Government set up an independent judicial commission of enquiry to investigate this dastardly act with the view of bringing the culprits to book.

There should be  independent investigation–Atiku

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar says only an independent investigation by Nigeria’s parliament, the judiciary or civil society will unravel the facts behind the killing of the citizens with 16 others injured in the reported shooting incident in the neighborhood of the Apo legislative quarters of Abuja, the Federal Capital.Since the incident took place in the early morning hours of Friday, there have been conflicting reports concerning the shoot-out with the Department of State Security (DSS) claiming that they had a confrontation with the insurgent group, Boko Haram, while independent sources are indicating that the victims were economic migrants squatting in the uncompleted building.

In a statement by his media office on Saturday, Atiku said he became disturbed following the accounts by the Reuters International news agency as well as the local media that the victims were squatters who came under attack at the instigation of owner of the building.“For me, this issue borders on human rights, the rule of law and the sanctity of human life. Our security services should stick to their role under the constitution: make the country safe.” said Atiku.He said while every citizen should support the government’s efforts to counter terrorism and defeat it, allegations of abuses and extra-judicial killings must not be swept under the carpet.

The former Vice President decried the tendency of security agencies to profile certain Nigerians, in spite of constant denials to the contrary, saying that terrorist profiling was a fact of life today in Nigeria.

Atiku: Jonathan invited him for talks

He recalled that in 2006, it took riots by Igbo traders in the Federal Capital Territory to force the government at that time to investigate, arrest and charge police officers that allegedly killed six Igbo traders they branded as armed robbers. “There must be an independent investigation into this incident to insure human rights and the rule of law. Things don’t have to get to this sorry pass,” Atiku cautioned the authorities.

NYA gives one week ultimatum for probe or…

Meanwhile, a protest by the Nigerian Youths Assembly (NYA) in demand of justice for the victims was on Wednesday was put off due to a peace meeting between the representatives of government, the Emir of Garki District, Alhaji Usman Nga, the National Union of Keke NAPEP Riders and the NYA. Spokesperson for the government and Permanent Secretary of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mr. John Chukwu had appealed to the youths to abort the planned protest in the FCT and allow government more time to investigate the matter. This, NYA heeded.

In a statement forwarded to Saturday Vanguard, the National President of NYA, Comrade Nurudeen Mustapha said, “After the deliberation, we decided to give the government and the security agencies one week to set up an independent probe panel and to prosecute all the perpetrators of the Apo extra-judicial act, failure to do so after a week, we would mobilize youths throughout Nigeria to protest the injustice meted at innocent youths who were killed in cold blood for committing no offense.

“We believe that this kind of dastardly and senseless act by the security men must stop  before it gets out of hands. We expect the federal government to leave no stone unturned in getting to the root of this matter. We also want to appreciate and thank all human rights activists, especially Mr. Shehu Sani, for their patriotism and standing with us on the course to a just society.”

Senate’s intervention

Meanwhile, the Senate had on Tuesday plenary, after a heated debate on the killings directed its Committees on National Security and Intelligence, Legal, Judiciary and Human Rights to investigate the matter and report back to it.

Botton line
Indeed, two things are involved. It is either the security agencies were right or wrong. But even if they were right, some analysts still believe that their role was to engage and arrest, then bring to justice, but certainly not the outright killing of the suspects. But then, it is left to be seen what would be the outcome of the probe as most Nigerians are keenly watching to know if the matter would as well go the way of the “ Apo six”.