Apo killings: NHRC orders Army, DSS to pay N10 million compensation to victims’ families

by ‘Jola Sotubo

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The deaths of 8 squatters in an uncompleted building located in the Apo area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been blamed on the Nigerian Army and the Department of State Services (DSS) by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

The NHRC, which recently concluded investigations into the matter, ruled that there was nothing to show that the victims were members of the terrorist sect Boko Haram.

The NHRC thus decided that the security agencies had acted in error when they invaded the property on September 20, 2013 and shot at the innocent squatters.

Vanguard reports:

In a report it released yesterday, the commission, which had earlier conducted a public hearing on the matter, said there was no shred of evidence to show that the deceased victims belonged to the dreaded Jama’atu ahlus sunnah lid da’awati wal jihad, also known as Boko Haram.

Consequently, the commission ordered the Federal Government to pay N10 million compensation to each of the families of the eight deceased persons as well as pay N5 million to each of the 11 injured survivors.

More so, the NHRC directed the Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Mohammed Bello Adoke, to ensure that evidence of payment of the compensation was lodged with the registry of the commission within 30 days from yesterday.

In an unanimous decision, the three‑man probe panel which was headed by the chairman of the governing council of the NHRC, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, ordered the Federal Government to forthwith, “undertake a review and harmonization the Rules of Engagement governing the operations of security agencies to bring them into compliance with the applicable rules of international humanitarian law governing non‑international armed conflicts.”

The panel directed that a certified text of the harmonized and updated Rules of Engagement should be filed at the secretariat of the NHRC within two months, saying it will in accordance with section 22(1) of the NHRC Act (as amended), register the report and decision it took yesterday for enforcement with the Federal High Court in the Federal Capital Territory.

According to the panel, “This final report and decision by the NHRC stems from an internal security operation carried out by internal security agencies in the Apo/Gudu District in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on September 20, 2013 that resulted in at least eight persons killed and 11 persons injured.”

While acknowledging the current security challenges confronting the nation, the commission emphasized that the primary responsibility of civil protection lies with the Nigeria Police Force.

One comment

  1. Fcos ds ll b taken 2any level,wot abt d families of doz hu ve bn rendered widows n orphans in d cos of peace keeping,d boko haram attacks,left homeless wit no means of survival,hu toks abt dem?nobody.bt cos dey r hu dey r n political blackmail going on In ds our 9ja,anytin goes n notin happens.God is watching us.no hard feelings to d pipo involved in d incident bt truth must b told.

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