Apo Killings: NHRC Explains Why Report Is Delayed

apo-killings

As hopes of Nigerians waiting on the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to bring out the fact and let the world know what actually happened at Apo, Abuja, seemed to have been dashed, the commission yesterday revived hopes saying the need to do a thorough investigation had led to the delay in the release of its report on the investigation into the killings.

Men of the State Security Service (SSS) had shot about seven squatters dead in controversial circumstances, injuring several others in an early morning raid on an uncompleted building at the Apo legislative quarters two weeks ago.

The Chairman of the NHRC, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, had last week indicated that an interim report of the commission’s findings would be made public, after a meeting of its council.

But yesterday, the commission’s Executive Secretary, Bem Angwe, said the delay was informed by the body’s intention to ensure that all facts were made public.

He therefore assured the public that the commission would ensure that the truth about the incident was made public.

Speaking in Abuja , Thursday, on the sideline of a meeting with representatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and other Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on ways to enhance human rights protection and promotion in the country, Angwe said: “We are still carrying out the investigation. We would have gone public with our report. But there are still some grey areas that we need to clarify.

“The security agencies are co-operating with us. We have made fundamental progress. I can assure Nigerians that the commission will get to the root of it. And once we are sure of the full facts, we will go public.

“I want to appeal to Nigerians to be very calm. Let us not be over sensitive. Although it is a sensitive issue, the fact that it is a sensitive issue requires that we do take our time and come up with the facts.

“The facts are unfolding and Nigerians should be patient with us. We are also working with the National Assembly that commenced its investigation yesterday.

“From here, I am also going there to make our presentation. We will be very firm and decisive in taking our decision when the facts are fully on the table.”