…Calls for a thorough investigation of the cases and that those involved  be brought to book

…Mourns victims of Borno IDP camp fire incident

By Henry Umoru

PRESIDENT of the Senate, Senator Ahmad Lawan has condemned in very strong terms, alleged extrajudicial killings in several parts of the country by security agencies who are enforcing the lockdown ordered by the Federal Government and some states of the federation to end the Coronavirus,  COVID-19 pandemic.

The President of the Senate has called for a  holistic investigation of the cases, with a view to bringing to book,  those involved to serve as deterrent to others.

Lawan was responding to alleged extrajudicial killings in several parts of the country by security agencies as reported by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in the course of the enforcement of the lockdown ordered in parts of the country to contain the spread of the Coronavirus.

The President of the Senate said that he was saddened by the report by the NHRC that 18 persons were killed by high-handed security officers tasked to enforce the stay-at-home directives.

Lawan who warned that any officer found culpable of unprofessional use of weapons should as a standard practice be made to face prosecution, however  urged Nigerians to continue to cooperate with the authorities as they strive to defend the country against the deadly virus.

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In a statement signed by his Special Adviser, Media, Ola Awoniyi, Lawan stressed that  extra-judicial killings, in whatever guise, should be discouraged in Nigeria.

Lawan said, “Life is sacred. It is a tragedy that those asked to enforce compliance with emergency measures adopted for public safety are now being accused of responsibility for needless and totally avoidable deaths of citizens.”

In a related development, the President of the Senate, has commiserated with the victims of the fire incident that occurred on Thursday at a camp housing Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Ngala, Borno State.

Lawan mourned the 14 who lost their lives and sympathised with those injured in the inferno.

The Senate President who commiserated with the Government and people of Borno State over the tragic incident, called on relevant authorities to investigate the incident with a view to averting a re-occurrence.

Vanguard