Stop Maiming, Killing Police Officers, NHRC Tells #EndSARS Hoodlums

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has called on youths hiding under the #EndSARS protest to maim and kill police personnel to desist from the act and embrace peace to allow human rights to thrive.

NHRC, made the call in a statement by its Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu (Esq), in Abuja, on Thursday, while condemning in strong terms the alleged killing of Police Officers, a worrisome development which is fast spreading across the country.

According to the commission, the heinous crime of killing police officers has no place in modern history and therefore should be eschewed to allow peace and orderliness to reign in the country.

BIGPEN report that there have been alleged civil attacks on Police personnel and wanton destruction of properties at some police stations in some states of the federation at the heel of the #EndSARS protest.

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Ojukwu, in the statement maintained that two wrongs cannot make a right and that any aggrieved persons who have an opportunity to take their complaints and petitions to the Independent Investigative Panel set up by the Commission to hear Complaints of allegations of human rights violations by SARS should do so without further delay.

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He said the Commission is currently receiving such petitions for onward investigations and subsequent recommendations to the appropriate government agencies for compensations or prosecution of offenders in accordance with the law.

Ojukwu noted that the establishment of inquiries by the state governments across the 36 states is welcome development to complement the efforts of the federal government that already established the Independent Investigative Panel midwifed by the NHRC.

The NHRC Chief executive officer, emphasized that attacks on police Personnel, arson and destruction of police facilities or those of other agencies are clearly out of place and should be condemned totally by all well-meaning Nigerians.

While appealing to those responsible for these gruesome acts to desist from further attacks on lives and properties of Police Personal, the Commission also calls on the Police force not to be deterred from carrying out their duties diligently and professionally, despite the recent provocations by some misguided members of the society who may have hijacked the ongoing protests by the EndSARS group.

The Chief Executive Officer of the NHRC therefore urged the Nigerian youths under the umbrella of End SARS to retreat and give the government a reasonable time frame within which to continue in the implementation of their demands, which he noted has got the attention of the federal government.

The curfew imposed by some state governments to quell the acts of lawlessness by hoodlums in some parts of the country has resulted to numerous human rights implications on the lives of the citizens which they must have to bear, he added.

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According to him, some of these right violations include; Right to freedom of movement, right to education, access to health care and several other rights.

He therefore pleaded with the youths to sheath their sword and embrace peace to allow human rights to thrive.

The human rights Boss said the Commission is mindful of the fact that people have a right to air their grievance or displeasure, such acts must be carried out within the ambit of the law to avoid colossal damage.