Amnesty International has asked the Federal Government to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of the recent killings in Plateau state.
What happened:
- Over 20 people were killed in an attack on Nkiedonwhro community in the Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State.
- President Muhammadu Buhari had described the attack as a madness taken too far.
What it said:
A Nigeria Director, Osai Ojigho, said the killers have continued attack because none of them have been arrested and prosecuted.
Ojigho said, “The first thing is that killings in any part of Nigeria should not be tolerated at all. Why there is impunity on the part of these killers is because no one has been successfully investigated and prosecuted. So, the killings continue.
“So, until the government empowers and directs the police to actively maintain peace and order as well as ensure that cases reported in this wise are investigated and the perpetrators brought to book, the killings will continue.
“We have always advocated that the police should be allowed to do their job. We have seen the over-militarisation of functions left to be handled by the police. In this situation where the military is said to be involved, the police’s role still has not disappeared.
“Ultimately, it is the police that should prosecute these killers and offenders and not the military. As long as we call on the authorities to rise to their work, we say to the communities that there is no need for a reprisal.”
SOURCE: YNAIJA
