A South Africa-based human rights organisation, the Human Rights Association (HRA), has condemned the killing of three officers of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) who were ambushed and shot dead by suspected bandits while carrying out official duties in Kebbi State.

In a statement issued on Monday, the organisation described the attack as a grave violation of the right to life and called on the Nigerian government to launch a comprehensive investigation, prosecute those responsible, and strengthen security measures to protect federal personnel operating on highways across the North-West region.

The three FRSC officers were killed on June 4, along the Tsamiya-Illo Road in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

According to the HRA, the officers were carrying out official duties at about 12:55 p.m. when they were ambushed by armed men believed to be bandits.

The organisation said the officers attempted to escape after sighting the attackers, but were pursued by the gunmen on motorcycles and shot at close range.

The victims were identified as Deputy Chief Road Marshal Assistant Umar Aliyu, Senior Road Marshal Assistant Ezra Manu Gona, and Road Marshal Assistant I Mansur Ibrahim Nasir.

“All three were on active duty in the service of the Nigerian public at the moment of their deaths,” the statement said.

The HRA extended its condolences to the families of the slain officers, their colleagues, and the FRSC.

The organisation noted that the incident was part of a broader pattern of attacks on federal personnel in Kebbi State.

It recalled that on May 13,  two officers of the Nigeria Customs Service, identified as Assistant Superintendent Bamigboye and Deputy Superintendent Dom, were reportedly killed when armed men believed to be members of the Lakurawa terrorist group attacked two security checkpoints in Bagudu Local Government Area.

The HRA also referenced another attack in March, in which 11 soldiers and a police officer were killed during an ambush in Shanga Local Government Area of the state.

According to the organisation, the repeated attacks suggest the existence of organised armed groups operating with significant capability and impunity in parts of northwestern Nigeria.

“The frequency and organisation of these attacks indicate the presence of armed criminal networks operating with sustained capability in northwest Nigeria and with effective impunity,” the statement said.

The group stressed that the families of the slain FRSC officers deserved a full account of the circumstances surrounding the attack and assurances that those responsible would be brought to justice.

It further argued that protecting federal personnel carrying out lawful duties on Nigerian highways is a direct responsibility of the state.

The organisation noted that FRSC officers play a critical role in safeguarding road users and reducing fatalities from traffic accidents, adding that attacks on such personnel undermine public safety and weaken the government’s ability to protect citizens.

HRA Chairman, Saad Kassis-Mohamed, described the killings as part of a disturbing trend of targeted attacks against Nigerian security and public service personnel.

“Umar Aliyu, Ezra Manu Gona, and Mansur Ibrahim Nasir were doing their jobs. They were on a Nigerian road in the service of Nigerian citizens when they were hunted down and killed,” he said.

“In the same state, two Customs officers were killed in May. Eleven soldiers and a police officer were killed in March. These are not random acts of violence. They are organised, repeated attacks on the personnel of the Nigerian state, and they are continuing because those responsible have not been brought to justice.”

He called on the Nigerian government to deploy all available resources to investigate the June 4 killings, prosecute the perpetrators, and ensure that federal officers operating in Kebbi State can carry out their duties safely.

The HRA urged the Federal Government to direct relevant investigative and prosecutorial agencies to conduct a thorough and expeditious investigation into the killings and bring all those involved to justice.

The organisation also called for adequate support for the families of the deceased officers, immediate implementation of enhanced security measures for FRSC, Customs and other federal personnel operating in Kebbi State and the wider North-West region, as well as a comprehensive review of intelligence and security failures that have enabled repeated attacks on government personnel.

Additionally, it urged authorities to ensure that individuals convicted of attacks on public servants receive penalties commensurate with the gravity of their offences.

The Human Rights Association, an initiative of the WeCare Foundation based in Cape Town, South Africa, operates across Africa, South Asia and the Gulf region.

The organisation advocates for individuals facing unjust detention, denial of medical care and violations of due process, while also engaging with United Nations mechanisms on human rights issues.