Southern Kaduna killings: Group drags FG to UN court

- SERAP has sued the Nigerian government to court over the killings in Kaduna

- The group has petitioned the court to prevail on the Nigerian government

- The federal government is yet to release a statement on the case

The group known as the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has petitioned renowned human rights activist Ms. Agnes Callamard.

The group is urging her to do the following:

"Prevail on the Nigerian authorities to halt further killings of innocent citizens in Southern Kaduna, and to urgently investigation recent allegations of killings of over 800 citizens mostly women, children and the elderly in that part of the country by suspected herdsmen.

"And to identify the perpetrators and bring them to justice, and to provide reparations to victims.”

In addition, SERAP has asked Ms. Callamard to visit Nigeria to conduct fact-finding mission into the circumstances surrounding the killings.

The petition which was sent on December 30, 2016, was signed by Adetokunbo Mumuni executive director of SERAP.

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In the petition, the organization said that it was concenerd about the following:

"That the killings of citizens in Southern Kaduna of Nigeria amount to serious violations of the rights to life; to security of the human person; to the respect of the dignity inherent in a human being; and right to property guaranted by not only the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) but also the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights to which Nigeria is a state party.”

The petition says: “SERAP contends that Nigerian authorities have failed and/or neglected to respect these human rights and to exercise due diligence to ensure that these rights are not violated by private individuals such as herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators.

"Nigerian government should therefore be held to account for failing or neglecting to guarantee and protect the rights of the people in Southern Kaduna, regardless of whether such violations are directly or indirectly attributable to the state or its officials.

“SERAP is concerned that the Nigerian government has failed and/or neglected to create an environment in Southern Kaduna to end the unlawful killings by failing to move their legal and institutional machinery towards the actual realisation of these rights. It is in fact the failure by the government to take adequate measures to prevent the violence which has contributed to the increasing number of victims.

“SERAP believes that the killings would not have taken place if the Nigerian authorities have taken measures to prevent their happening and to address persistent impunity of those responsible for the violations and abuses.

"The lack of accountability for the attacks by herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators across the country has continued to create a culture of impunity which clearly is not compatible with the rule of law in a democratic society.

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“According to the leadership of the Catholic Diocese of Kafanchan in Kaduna State, a total of 808 people were killed in 53 villages across the four local governments areas in the state ridden by crisis.

"The church leaders also said that 57 people were injured; farm produce estimated at N5.5 billion were also destroyed, and a total of 1,422 houses and 16 churches were burnt during the attacks.

"The affected communities are spread across Kaura, Sanga, Jama’a and Kauru Local Government Areas where there had been persistent attacks on communities by gunmen believed to be Fulani herdsmen.”

Meanwhile, the Catholic diocese of Kafanchan, Kaduna state has claimed that the rampage of herdsmen in Southern Kaduna has claimed 808 lives while 1,422 houses have been destroyed.