JUSTICE!:The Senate Mandate The Investigation Of Abuja Friday's Killing.

The Senate on Tuesday mandated its
committees on National Security and
Intelligence and Judiciary, Human Rights
and Legal Matters to investigate the
September 20 killings in Apo, Abuja.

The Senate took the decision after a debate
on a motion sponsored by Sen. Sahabi Ya'u
(PDP-Zamfara) entitled; "Apo killings; a
case of extra-judicial killing’’.

Ya'u had, through a point of order on a
matter of urgent national importance,
asked the Senate to suspend its rules and
discuss the matter immediately.

Leading debate on the motion, Ya'u said;
the Senate notes with dismay the
shootings in an uncompleted building on
Soji Aderemi Close, Bamanga Tukur Street
of Apo Legislators quarters on September
20.’’

He said it was disturbed by the various
accounts of the incident, which left eight
people, mostly tricycle operators from
Zamfara, Katsina and Kano states, dead and
about 16 injured.

Ya’u said the Department of State Security
Services (SSS) claimed that those killed
were members of the Boko Haram sect who
were using the building as a hide-out and
armoury.

He said that SSS claimed that its operatives
were attacked by sympathisers of the sect
while attempting to exhume weapons
buried in the uncompleted building based
on intelligence reports received from some
detained sect members.

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The legislator said that survivors and eye-
witnesses, however, said the tricycle
operators were squatters in the property,
who paid N200 daily to sleep in the
building although the owner had given
them a deadline to vacate.

He said that the deadline given to them to
vacate the premises had not elapsed before
the owner, allegedly a highly placed service
person, used the SSS and soldiers to
forcibly eject the squatters.

Ya’u stressed the need for urgent
investigation into the matter to maintain
the sanctity of life.

He said the war on terror should not be
converted to a platform for impunity and
extra-judicial killings.

Contributing to the debate, Sen. Clever Ikisikpo (PDP-Bayelsa) said that he lived in
Zone E of the Legislators Quarters, which is
about 100m from the spot of the incident.

Ikisikpo said that the incident greatly
disturbed the neighbourhood.

"We could not sleep that night and we
were even scared to come out the following morning.

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"It is not acceptable for the SSS to shoot
people whether they are Boko Haram or
Keke NAPEP (tricycle) operators.
They should first be arrested and investigated,’’
he said.

Ikisikpo called for a law that would
stipulate that no building should remain
uncompleted for more than two years.

The Deputy Senate President, Sen. Ike
Ekweremadu (PDP-Enugu), noted that given
the sensitive nature of the matter, further
debate should be suspended pending the
outcome of investigations.

Sen. Abubakar Yar'adua (APC-Katsina),
however, said it was important for the
matter to be discussed because very often,
those who should uphold the laws were the
ones who allegedly flouted them.

According to him, the war against terrorism
is no licence for security operatives to kill
innocent people.

Also contributing, Sen. Mohammed Ndume
(PDP-Borno) cautioned against sentiments
but for a dispassionate handling of the
issue.

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Ndume said it would be preemptive for the
Senate to take a decision before the
investigation was concluded.

While acknowledging the need for proper
training of security operatives, Sen.

Mohammed Saleh (APC-Kaduna) stressed
that activities of SSS were supposed to be
covet and not overt.

"The SSS must be properly trained, they
should have cordoned off the area and not
engaged those who were there,’’ Saleh said.

The Senate Leader, Sen. Victor Ndoma-Egba
(PDP-Cross River) emphasised the need for
Nigerians to realise that ``these are
perilous times.’’

Ndoma-Egba said there was a need to be
patient pending the outcome of
investigations.

The Senate President, Sen. David Mark, in
his ruling on the motion, stressed the need
for the Senate to act only after the
investigations.

Mark said the issues to clear were whether
the incident was terror related, whether
there was extra-judicial killing and the
procedure used in the operation.

The Senate president stressed the need to
keep sentiments aside and work with facts.

The committees were given one week to
report back to the Senate due to the
sensitive nature of the matter. (NAN)

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