NHRC Boss says Families Of Immigration Stampede ‘ll Be Compensated

The executive secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Prof. Ben Angwe, has assured families of the victims of the tragic events at the recent Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment exercise in which about 24 persons lost their lives nationwide that they would be compensated in accordance with international practices.

Angwe gave this assurance when a human rights advocacy group, Citizens Advocacy for Social & Economic Rights (CASER), submitted a petition against the Federal Government of Nigeria and public servants over gross disregard and systemic violation of the fundamental human rights of Nigerian citizens to the NHRC.

He noted that machinery has been put in place by the NHRC to carry out a thorough investigation into the event in order to unravel the remote causes of the tragedy and stated that, though not premeditated, the tragic event was highly regrettable.

Angwe remarked that the NIS incident would kick-start a new beginning toward the safety of the public by ensuring that adequate precautions are taken to avert such occurrences in the future.

The executive director of CASER, Mr Frank Tietie, while submitting the petition, addressed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and the NHRC boss, also called for the immediate suspension of the minister of interior, Mr Abba Moro, and the comptroller-general of the NIS, Mr David Parradang, to pave way for an uninfluenced investigation of the tragic occurrences nationwide.

In the petition, the group urged the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) to carry out an immediate investigation into the corrupt public service’s violation of human rights in Nigeria and to propose travel bans and other sanctions against public servants if found culpable.

Source: Leadership