seeks compensation for victims of brutality
By Victor Arjihromanus
African Bar Association, AFBA, has called on the Federal Government to condemn the shooting of peaceful protesters, saying President Muhammadu Buhari’s speech was below expectations.
The body in a statement by its President, Hannibal Uwaifo, urged state governments to ensure that victims of police brutality are compensated in a manner commensurable with their cases.
According to the statement :”African Bar Association welcomes President Buhari’s Call to end violence, commends the Nigerian Bar Association.
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The African Bar Association welcomes the call by President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria for hoodlums who took advantage of the peaceful #ENDSARS protest to unleash mayhem on Public and Private properties.
Although the President’s speech fell short of what the association had anticipated considering the weighty issues raised by the the protesters and others of general concern to majority of Nigerians, it however acknowledged the constitutional rights of public protests in particular the germaine issues of Police impunity .
While we urge the government of Nigeria to go further to condemn the attack on innocent peaceful protesters by organized mercinaries and security operatives, we totally condemn the attack on vital government buildings , the looting and burning of private properties, attack in media houses, Correctional Centers and other forms of violence unleased in several locations in Nigeria especially, Edo, Lagos, Abuja and several other cities in Nigeria.
While we sympathize with the government and people of Nigeria, especially the state governments and security operatives and citizens who lost their lives and call for adequate restitution and compensation in a manner that meets the Justice of each case.
The AFBA commends the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association for the steps taken so far in dealing with this monumental crisis and state that we plan to discuss and work with the NBA in bringing sponsors and perpetrators found to have violated the rights of Nigerian citizens and youths to account before the international justice system.”
