(By Godwin Tsa, ABUJA)
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has decried the level of criminality and human rights violations occasioned by armed robbery attacks, kidnappings and extra judicial killings by criminal elements in the country.
The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, stated this yesterday at the 4th Nigerian Military Human Rights Dialogue.
Prof. Angwe regretted that the country is left without any choice than to deploy the military to handle situations that ordinarily would have been the responsibility of the Police and other security agencies.
He also used the opportunity to comment on August 3, 2016 clash between the armed bandits and the Military in Bosso Local Government Area in Niger state which he noted was unfortunate given the numbers of casualties and the trauma unleashed on the various communities in Bosso Local Government Area of Niger state.
Prof. Angwe, who visited the affected communities in the company of the Commission’s investigation officers, said that the a thorough and independent investigation on the incident was in progress promising that those found culpable would have the appropriate punishment meted out to them in accordance with the law while seeking remedies for victims of human rights violations.
Similarly, the Chief of Administration in Nigerian Military, Major General Adamu Abubakar has decried the activities of gun runners and armed bandits along Bida-Minna road saying that the Military will continue to do their best to rid the nation of high level criminalities and brutal human rights abuses.
On the issue of the clash between the military and the armed bandits, Gen. Abubakar said the Military “responded as necessary in line with the rules of engagements. Sadly, an officer and 8 soldiers of the Nigerian Army and 2 Airmen of the Nigerian Air Force lost their lives in the line of National duty. Additionally, one soldier is still missing while two of their colleagues were seriously wounded”.
He noted that the armed bandits burnt down four operational vehicles and vandalized 2 other while carting away 4 Ak 47 rifles among other ammunitions.
