The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has condemned in strong terms, the recent gruesome killing of a young University of Jos undergraduate, Rinji Peter Bala allegedly by security operatives along Zaria Road, Jos, Plateau State.
A statement signed by its director of corporate affairs and external linkages, Lambert Oparah, explained that the Commission’s Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu said the apex human rights body has launched a full scale investigation into the unfortunate death of the student sequel to the preliminary findings received by the office headquarters, Abuja.
The Commission described the killing of Rinji as inhuman and a gross violation of his right to life as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended and other international human rights instruments to which Nigeria is a party.
Consequently, the Commission, Ojukwu said, has directed its Jos office to investigate the circumstances surrounding the killing of the young man with a view to bringing the perpetrators to book.
The statement quoted the Executive Secretary of appealing to members of the public to remain calm promising that all those involved in the dastardly act will be fished out and brought to book.
“This is in line with the Commission’s mandate of monitoring and investigating all alleged cases of human rights violations in the country and seek appropriate redress and remedies for victims.”
The NHRC Executive Secretary Commiserated with the family of the deceased and calls for calm, assuring that no stone will be left unturned in getting to the root of the sad incident.
At the wake of the COVID-19 Lockdown, the NHRC has been working with relevant CSO’S and members of the public in monitoring and documenting human rights violations by law enforcement agencies. Between 31st March and 4th May 2020 , of the lockdown, the Commission documented a total of 209 rights violations bordering on Extra Judicial killings, torture, inhuman and degrading treatment, violations of rights to freedom of movement, unlawful arrest and detention, seizure of properties, Gender based , (SGBV) as well as domestic violence . Twenty-nine (29) of the complaints were extrajudicial killings, resulting to deaths.
