Kaduna bombing gross violation of constitution & should be probe -Alkassim, Yashi

From Paul Orude Bauchi

The Country Director, Organisation for African Child Development and Human Rights Protection, Barrister Muhammad Alkassim, has called on the Federal Government to probe officers behind  the recent erroneous bombing of Tudun Biri village in Igabi Local Government Area of the State, which claimed over 100 lives to deter future occurrence..

Alkassim, a Bauchi based legal practitioner, argued that the NAF ‘accidental’ killing  was a gross violation of 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and  African Charter on Human and Peoples Right Act on sanctity of human life – rights activists —calling for probe of officers involved 

Speaking with journalists in Bauchi on Monday, Alkassim, described the incident as unfortunate and ugly, urging the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu to advise President Bola Tinubu  and the Defence Intelligence Agency to avoid future occurrence.

“Nigerian citizens cannot condone this kind of action because they cannot call this mistaken identity,” the Bauchi based legal practitioner and Human Right activist said

“It is important to draw the attention to the provision of the 1999 Constitution section 33(1)

“A similar provision has also been made under Article 23 of the African Charter that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of this right save in execution of sentence of court in respect of criminal offence of which he has been found guilty and this provision.

“Nigeria is part of countries that signed treaties for the enforcement of the Africa charter and so it is important to know that the Nigeria Air force has grossly violated this provision and should be held liable of this act. 

“We urge them in the interest of the nation to look into this as one of the massacres that happened in Nigeria and they should take measures in preventing the reoccurrence of this kind of costly mistake in order to protect lives and property. 

“It is important to draw the attention of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Rubadu that he has a duty under the National Security Agency Act which seeks to prevent the internal security of the country of which the defense intelligence agency is part of.

“We urge the NSA to quickly advise the president on the need to remedy this kind of problem and proffer lasting solutions as proper advice could reduce  class action against the Federal Government.

“We believe that Ribadu is competence based on his track record having assumed the exalted position as NSA.

“We urge him to use his office to address this recurring problem because the international communities are looking at Nigeria as a country where human right violations have become common. 

“The NSA should quickly launch an investigation panel to investigate those behind it and adequately compensate the victims.

“In fact it is not about religion but about the lives of innocent citizens of Nigeria and we cannot fold our arms and see the recurrence

In fact it is sad because children are affected too. 

“These children are innocent children and our leaders of tomorrow. Look at how their live have been taken unjustifiably in contradiction of the Constitution and the African Charter.

“That is why the government has to come in and take responsibility and compensate them adequately, put them in school and give them good education because we cannot watch them become street boys and girls in Nigeria”

In the same vein, Barrister Hamza Isa Yashi, the North West Coordinator of the Organisation for African Child Development and Human Rights Protections said  bombing of Kaduna  village by the NAF was one too many.

Yashi called that the identity of the officers that carried out the operation that led to many lives in Kaduna must be unravelled for justice.

He lamented that such incidents had also happened in Borno State where NAF were unable to identify terrorists from innocent Nigerians and launched operations in which many innocent civilians lost their lives.

“It is high time that the federal government and the military took responsibility for this act of carelessness because they are costly and have briugh untld sorrow to many families and Nigerians,” he said.