From Laide Raheem, Abeokuta
A former member of the House of Representatives and the governorship candidate of the Allied People’s Movement (APM) in Ogun State in the 2019 general elections, Abdul-Kabir Adekunle Akinlade has decried what he described as the ‘incessant killings of innocent residents’ of Ogun West Senatorial district by men of the Nigeria Customs Service.
Reacting to the alleged killing of a resident of Ayetoro town in Yewa North Local Government on Tuesday by men of the Anti-Smuggling Task Force of the NCS, Akinlade, in a statement signed by his Media Aide, Azeez Adelani, on Wednesday, in Abeokuta, declared that ‘the helpless people in the senatorial district will approach the United Nations, International Criminal Court and other related global bodies for redress.’
He added that ‘if the officers and men of the NCS task force responsible for the Ayetoro killing are not fished out by January 21st, 2021, we shall commence the process of approaching external bodies for justice, which is within our rights as global citizens.’
The former federal lawmaker disclosed that while he was at the National Assembly between 2015 and 2019, he brought to the attention of the parliament several of such killings.
He added that the House took up his motion and the cases were referred to the House Committee on Public Complaints, alleging the whole effort was frustrated by the NCS and its leadership.
Akinlade argued that the killings of innocent residents will not stop unless the matter is brought before the global court and individuals responsible are prosecuted for extrajudicial killings and blacklisted internationally.
‘It is my sincere hope that someday, NCS will have in its ranks, courageous officers that will be able to go after the real smugglers and end the senseless killings of innocent Yewa men, women and children.
‘Nigeria has borders in 105 local governments areas within 21states. How many of such killings do we record in other states or LGs? Are they saying that the NCS have two different code of engagement in the northern and southern part of the country?
‘The state government must summon the courage to speak up or what does the leadership discuss when attending FEC meetings? Everyone that is in position to put a stop to this killings, but choose not to act is culpable,’ Akinlade said in the statement.