NHRC appeals to governor to halt execution of death row convict

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) called, on Friday, the Governor of Adamawa State, Ahmadu Fintiri to exercise his constitutional powers to spare the life a death row inmate in the state, Sunday Jackson.

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“We call on Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri to exercise his constitutional power of clemency under Section 212 of the Constitution and spare Jackson’s life. Justice must never equate to punishment for the defenceless.

“The Supreme Court’s recent death sentence given to Sunday Jackson for the killing of a Fulani herdsman in an alleged act of self-defence is of grave concern. One can describe it as an assault on the soul of human rights in Nigeria,” said the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Tony Ojukwu, at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja during the commission’s latest monthly dashboard presentation on Friday.

In March, the Supreme Court upheld the conviction of Mr Jackson for the murder of a herdsman, Babu Bawuro, in Adamawa State.

The court ruled that if someone unarms an attacker and does not escape and uses the weapon to attack the unarmed attacker it is considered revenge and not self-defence.

However, Mr Ojukwu, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, noted that Section 33 of the Nigerian constitution guarantees the right to life and recognises self-defence as a shield for unlawful violence.

“To sentence Sunday Jackson to death for protecting his own life is a dangerous precedent,” he said, criticising the decision of the Supreme Court.

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NHRC records 246,200 complaints in March

During the dashboard presentation, the NHRC announced that 246,200 complaints were submitted in March, a 20 per cent increase from the 205,364 complaints recorded in February.

While presenting March report, the Senior Adviser to the NHRC, Hilary Ogbonna, noted key trends in the complaints – killings by state actors and the violation of the right of freedom from discrimination, an increase in terrorist attacks, violation of rights by law enforcement and against human dignity, infringement of economic and socio-cultural rights and rule of law and access to justice.

Notable among the violations of rights by law enforcement officers was the invasion of Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC) headquarters by the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) at the Sam Ethnan Air Force Base in Ikeja, Lagos State.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how NAF personnel stormed IKEDC’s headquarters, attacking staff members and journalists after the company disconnected power to the base over unpaid electricity bills.

Similarly, the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) alleged that soldiers of the Nigerian Army attacked its substation in Badagry, Lagos State, over a power outage.

Mr Ojukwu condemned the action of the NAF and called on law enforcement agencies to act within the ambit of the law.

“It is especially shocking that security forces harmed those they should protect. We are seeing a pattern of abuse of authority by those who wear uniforms, and this should be condemned in the strongest terms. Such actions undermine public trust and cannot be tolerated,” Mr Ojukwu said.

Geopolitical record of complaints

North-central continues to maintain the lead in the number of complaints, with 66,219 cases reported in the region in March.

The region was followed by South-south with 42,686 reported cases, North-west with 43,934, South-east with 38,121, South-west 28,622 and North-east 26,618.

In March, the NHRC documented a total of 221 killings and 88 kidnappings across Nigeria. Kaduna state recorded the highest number of kidnappings with 37 cases, followed by Ondo 24, Bauchi 15, Katsina 12, and Niger State 12.

Bandits were responsible for 24 per cent of deaths in March.

Boko Haram was said to be responsible for 17 per cent, Lakurawa, 20 per cent; unknown gunmen, eight per cent; herdsmen, six per cent; vigilante, nine per cent; private actors, seven per cent; and state actor,; nine per cent.

While explaining the killings by private actors, Mr Ogbonna said, “These are individuals, husbands that killed their wives. We have four of such incidents in the month of March, including one that just set his wife ablaze. Another used a machete on his wife.”

Issues in focus

The NHRC focused on these issues in the month of March, vigilantism, killings of military and security personnel and extra-judicial killings.

As regards vigilantism, the commission highlighted the killing of 16 travellers in Uromi, Edo State, South-south Nigeria by vigilantes.

PREMIUM TIMES reported that the 16 travellers were reportedly lynched after they were mistaken for kidnappers by local vigilantes last week Thursday on the Uromi/Obajana Expressway in the Esan North-East Local Government Area of Edo State.

According to reports, the victims were travelling from Rivers State to Kano for Eid-el-Fitr celebration when they were attacked by local vigilantes. The perpetrators flogged the victims and set them ablaze.

The commission noted that 39 law enforcement officers were killed in March including 12 soldiers who were killed by Boko Haram and two by herdsmen in Benue State.

Also in March, attacks were recorded in religious communities including the abduction of catholic priests in Anambra, Edo and Imo States. A renowned Quran recitation winner was also abducted alongside his family in Katsina. Aside from the kidnappings, a seminarian was killed in Edo State and a catholic priest in Kaduna State.

Trends in the violation of women’s and children’s rights

In the month under focus, 1,698 complaints of gender-based discrimination, 1,527 harmful cultural practices, 1,562 forceful marriages and 1,502 cases of women trafficking were recorded, according to the NHRC.

Also, there were 17 cases of rape – a decrease when compared to February’s report in which the commission recorded 341 rape cases.

However, there was an increase in domestic violence with 6272 cases reported in March. The commission said it recorded 2,509 sexual violence cases.

The commission noted that child abandonment continued to top the charts of child rights violations due to economic hardship in the country, followed by child marriage, and child labour.

Mr Ogbonna noted that 1,186 cases of child abandonment, 655 cases of child marriage, and 600 cases of child labour.

Quarterly progressive of NHRC

The NHRC announced that it had succeeded in completing investigating 12,545 complaints received in the first quarter of the year.

The commission also carried out visitations to 230 correctional and detention centres and 27 military formations. It said it also summoned and sent letters to the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) regarding 465 cases.