SERAP drags FG to UN over Southern Kaduna killings

chika ebuzor

December 30, 2016 7:46 PM

The group also called on Callamard to ask the Nigerian government to provide adequate security for those in the area.

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned the United Nations over the killings in Southern Kaduna.

SERAP asked Agnes Callamard, the United Nation’s Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to prevail on the Nigerian govt. to stop the killings in the area.

The group also called on Callamard to ask the Federal Government to provide adequate security for those in the area.

According to reports, over 800 people have lost their lives, and properties worth millions of Naira destroyed.

Some groups and notable Nigerians have also called on President Buhari to do something about the alleged massacre by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

According to Vanguard, the Executive Secretary of SERAP, Adetokunbo Mumuni, in a petition dated Friday, December 30, 2016, said “SERAP contends that Nigerian authorities have failed and/or neglected to respect these human rights and to exercise due diligence to ensure that these rights are not violated by private individuals such as herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators. 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 Nigerian 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. The lack of accountability for the attacks by herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators across the country has continued to create a culture of impunity which clearly is 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.”

Meanwhile, the Southern Kaduna Awareness Group ( SKAG) has accused the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai of planning to eliminate people of Southern Kaduna.

chika ebuzor