18th February, 2019.
The Executive Secretary,
National Human Rights Commission,
Headquarters,
Abuja.
Dear Sir,
RE: ALLEGED SHOOTING OF A MAN (NOW DECEASED) AT SHAGAMU INTERCHANGE ALONG IJEBU ODE, OGUN STATE BY OFFICERS IN CUSTOM’S UNIFORM SUSPECTED TO BE OFFICERS OF THE NIGERIA CUSTOM SERVICE
PETITION FOR THE COMMISSION’S HOLISTIC INVESTIGATION INTO THE ENTIRE INCIDENTS AND THE CALL FOR COMPENSATION AND OTHER NECESSARY REDRESS FOR THE DECEASED’S FAMILY
- The above subject matter refers, please.
- I am a legal practitioner and a human rights activist. Yesterday (the 17th day of February, 2019), there was a video in circulation via the social media reporting the incident of an alleged shooting of a man (now deceased) at Shagamu along Ijebu Ode, Ogun State Nigeria, by officers in customs uniform suspected to be officers of the Nigeria Custom Service. From the voices which can be heard in the video, it was reported by a woman’s voice heard shouting that the said man was shot by the officers in customs uniform because of the man’s failure to pay the sum of N5,000.00. Also, it was evident that the circumstance of the allegation would have warranted some of the sympathisers to have descended on two of the said officers in the custom’s uniform which included the accused person who was suspected to have shot the deceased man.
- In my humble view and submission, the right to life is a constitutionally guaranteed right under section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended)-herein after referred to as the Constitution- which no one is allowed to deny another under any guise except in such circumstances as permitted by the Constitution. Also, I humbly submit that the unlawful taking away by this right to life entitles the victim and or his family members to compensation pursuant to section 46(1) of the Constitution and the Commission having been established to among other functions, to perform the following functions pursuant to section 5 of the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2010, thus ‘
‘The Commission shall—
- (a) deal with all matters relating to the protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the United Nations Charter and the Universal Declaration on Human Rights and other International Treaties on human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory;
(b) monitor and investigate all alleged cases of human rights violation in Nigeria and make appropriate recommendation to the President for the prosecution and such other actions as it may deem expedient in each circumstance;
(c) assist victims of human rights violation and seek appropriate redress and remedies on their behalf;’
- As a human rights activist, I find it very uneasy for me to bear the emotions surrounding the contents of the said video as to how human life can just be unlawfully taken away in this democratic civil society without any justice being sought for the victim and or his family.
- I hereby humbly petition the Commission to investigate into the circumstances of the allegations reported by this video which has gone viral on social media, to ensure that there is no escape route for the perpetrators and to seek compensation and other necessary redress for the victim (alleged to have been brutally killed) and or his family members. Though, this petition is not in support of the self-help to which the mob resorted against the alleged perpetrators by beating and causing body injuries on the alleged officers. Also find accompanying this petition a CD containing the viral videos.
- I trust that the Commission is capable of ensuring that justice prevails in this case.
- While I await further correspondence from the Commission, please accept the assurances of my warm regards.
Yours faithfully,
Hameed Ajibola Jimoh Esq.
Principal Counsel/Human Rights Activist.
