SERAP takes govt to ECOWAS Court over killings by herdsmen, military, police

• Lagos to form new security outfit

The Registered Trustees of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has instituted a suit against the Federal Government in ECOWAS Community Court of Justice in Abuja over “failure to prevent, account for and investigate killings, raping, maiming of Nigerians and other residents, and destruction of property across the country by herdsmen, the military and police.”

This was disclosed in a statement signed by SERAP Executive Director, Adetokunbo Mumuni that the suit delineated‎ ECW/CCJ/APP/15/16 and filed yesterday by Solicitor to the organisation, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) “that the continuing attacks, killings, raping, maiming of Nigerians and other residents, and destruction of property by the military, police, herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators across the country amount to serious violations of the rights to life, to the security and dignity of the human person, and to property.”

This is coming as the Lagos State Government has vowed to evolve all necessary and legal measures to prevent newly emerging highbrow crimes like killings by herdsmen, kidnapping, ritual killings and terrorism from taking root in the state.

The Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa disclosed this yesterday during a public hearing into a bill seeking to establish an agency for the control of the state’s security institution, the Neighbourhood Watch, which would also register all private security firms operating in the state.

SERAP suit reads in part: “The Plaintiff contends that the Defendant is responsible for these human rights violations and abuses by the military, police, herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators which have not been adequately prevented, investigated or prosecuted by the authorities. These responsibilities are heightened when an observable pattern has been overlooked or ignored, such as is the case in this suit.

“The Plaintiff also contends that the obligation to secure the right to life is not confined to cases where it has been established that the killings were caused by an agent of the State. Nor is it decisive whether those affected or their families have lodged a formal complaint about the killings with the competent investigatory authority.’’