[size=14pt]Extra-Judicial killings: 7,198 suspects killed in four years[/size]

From PAUL OSUYI, Asaba
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

A non-governmental organization, the Centre for Victims of Extra-Judicial Killings and Torture (CVEKT) Africa, has raised the alarm over the rising cases of reckless use of arms by security agents resulting in extra-judicial deaths.

CVEKT referring to a report by Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), said the reckless use of arms has resulted in 7,198 extra-judicial deaths in four years across the country.

Executive Director of CVEKT, Rev. Fr. Tony Amarube made this known in Asaba, Delta state while welcoming participants to the sixth CVEKT Annual National Lecture Series with the theme “Nigeria: Sustaining Functional Democracy and the Challenge of Armed Insurgency.”

Fr. Amarube lamented that the police always rely on Order 237 of the Nigeria Police Force “which permits officer to shoot any suspect and detainees trying to escape or avoid arrest as an excuse for committing extra-judicial killing with impunity.”

According to him, the NOPRIN report has it that “authorities generally did not hold police accountable for the use of excessive or deadly force or for the deaths of persons in custody. When investigation did occur, they were not thoroughly done. Officers suspected of extra-judicial execution generally are sent away on training or transferred to other states instead of being prosecuted. Police often claimed that the victim was an armed robber killed in an exchange of gunfire or suspected killed while trying to escape from police custody.”
Fr. Amarube also decried senseless massacre of innocent Nigerians, even as he condemned in strong terms the activities of the dreaded Islamic sect, Boko Haram and called on the presidency to be pro-active in tackling the security challenge of arm insurgency.

He advised that security agents should be allowed to do their work without undue interference from the Senate in respect to the on-going investigation of a senator accused of rendering support to Boko Haram.
The Executive Director also urged the judiciary to be alive to its watchman in the polityand challenged governments at all levels and National Assembly members of the responsibility of meeting the constitutional requirements of power to govern.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan who declared the workshop open, said Delta state abhors the menace of armed crimes such as robbery, kidnapping, militancy, religious uprising, youth restiveness and all acts of terrorism.
Represented by the state Attorney-Deneral and Commissioner for Justice, Charles Ajuyah (SAN), Dr. Uduaghan described the experiences of armed robbery, assassination, militancy and other acts of senseless killing of innocent citizens as “pockets of criminal activities.”

He tasked stakeholders not to leave the campaign against political violence, extra-judicial killings and torture and other related crimes in the hand of NGOs.
http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/news/national/2011/nov/29/national-29-11-2011-007.html

a truly murderous country. now law. no court. a pure jungle