The Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, has
expressed commitment to ensuring proper investigations into the killing of
eight people at an Apo resident in FCT on Sept. 20.
He made this known on Thursday in Abuja at a public hearing on
the killing.
Adoke, who was represented by a Senior Special Assistant, Peter
Akpe, said as the chief law officer, he would render advisory assistance to
ascertain cause of death and make sure justice is done.
“This investigative process if used by the commission should
provide remedy for victims of human rights abuses,” he said.
The Chairman of Governing Council of the commission, Chidi
Odinkalu, said the commission would work within its mandate to unravel cause of
killing in order to restore confidence in the people.
He said the commission would do its best to abide by the rule of
law and ensure that it present facts based on evidences got from witnesses.
“If Nigeria is to succeed as a republic, the Nigerian life has
to mean something.
“We will do our best to respect the facts, the evidence and the
rules,” he said.
One of the witnesses at the hearing, Alhaji Buba Goza, who swore
under oath to give factual testimony, said members of the association demanded
justice for the killing of eight of its members.
Goza is also the Chairman of FCT chapter of the National
Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria.
He said members of the association do not engage in unlawful
activities and should not be linked with activities of Boko Haram sect.
“We condemn the killing of innocent souls and an attempt to
cover it up.
“We are law-abiding operators. We do not engage in unlawful
activities and therefore cannot be linked with activities of Boko Haram. The
claim is baseless,” he said.
Goza said the association had demanded N500 million compensation
for victims and families of the deceased, as well as a public declaration
pronouncing the victims innocent.
He said the association demanded unconditional release of its
member still in detention, while those responsible for the killing should be
exposed and punished accordingly.
He warned that the association, with more than 10 million
members across the country, had resolved to embark on a protest if their
request was not met within a stipulated period of time.
Goza was however made to withdraw the call for mass protest by
the commission, as it had convened the public hearing to get facts that would
help it carry out proper investigations into the killing.
One of the occupants of the building where the incident took
place, Gambo Idris, testified that the shooting started about midnight and
lasted for more than one hour.
Idris, who said he had lived in Abuja for more than two years,
added that more than 100 people were living in the building.
He testified that occupants of the building did not pose any
security threat as they did not possess any weapon.
He further testified that the occupants were paying N200 weekly
to the security guard
of building, known simply as Joseph.
Tunde Ajala, Programme Officer of an NGO, Global Right, said the
organisation had pictorial video evidences of the incident which he presented
to the commission.
He called on the commission to do all within its mandate to
unravel the truth.
Abubakar Ahmadu, the Medical Director, Asokoro General Hospital,
where victims were first taken on the day of the incident attested to the fact
that the victims were brought to the hospital.
According to him, two vehicles carrying seven corpses and 11
injured persons were driven to the hospital on the day.
He said one of the victims later died, bringing the number of
deaths to eight.
“At 900 hours, I heard that there was commotion at the emergency
ward.
“I saw two vehicles and noticed many people gathering around.
Seven corpses were brought to the hospital,” he said.
Adekunle Salisu, son of the property owner, denied knowledge of
plans to raid the building.
Salisu said he heard of the shooting from the security guard,
Joseph, at about 6 a.m. on that day.
He also denied knowledge of occupants of the building remitting
N200 to the security guard, stressing that the guard was placed on a N12,000
monthly salary.
“I got a call between 5.30 a.m. and 6 a.m. from the security
guard. He said some military men were shooting.
“When I left the venue of the incident, I consulted with my
lawyer, after which we went to Garki Police Station to lodge complain,” he
said.
The eight people were allegedly killed by the Department of the
State Security on Sept. 20 at an Apo resident in the FCT.
Relevant stakeholders, including the National Human Rights
commission, have since commenced investigation to unravel the mystery behind
the killing.
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