Group reveals the identities of 37 pastoralists killed by airstrikes
The Fulbe Global Development and Rights Initiative, FGDRI, has released the identities of 37 pastoralists killed by a military airstrikes in Akwanaja Doma, local government of Nasarawa State.
Their identities were contained in a petition sent to the national human rights commission by its president, Salim Musa-Umar, on behalf of the victims’ families.
Recall that 37 pastoralists were allegedly killed by an air force in Akwanaja, Doma local government Nasarawa, on January 27, 2023.
The pastoralists were reportedly returning from Makurdi, the Benue State Capital, where they had gone to retrieve over 1,200 cattle seized by the Benue Livestock Guards, when the incident occurred.
Mr Umar disclosed that 31 bodies were recovered for burial, while 6 other bodies were burnt beyond recognition.
He added that 9 other victims are still on admission at the general hospital in Lafia, Nasarawa State.
“That it’s been six weeks since the incident , there has not been any official acknowledgement, either from the Federal Government of Nigeria or from the Armed Forces or from the Nigerian Air Force.
“It is as if those 37 herders who were killed never existed. The Nigerian military only tentatively reached out to select victims’ families with a view to silencing them without accepting responsibility.
“This callous indifference to the tragic loss of 37 innocent citizens is beyond our comprehension.
“We duly acknowledge that the National Human Rights Commission [NHRC] through the spokesperson of NHRC, Fatimah Mohammed, did express condolences over the incident, and categorically named the Nigerian Air Force as the perpetrators of the attack.
“We are however surprised that the NHRC stopped short of triggering PART Il FUNCTIONS AND POWERS Sections 5 and 6 which gave the Commission the powers to (a) deal with all matters relating to the protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter, the United Nations Charter, the Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and other international treaties on human rights to which Nigeria is a signatory.
While appealing to the commission to expedite its investigation, the group threatened to approach the International Criminal Court , and UN Human Rights Council if its demands were not met.
The group presented its demands to the government as follows.
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“A public acknowledgement by the Nigerian Air Force or the FGN that indeed 37 innocent citizens, human beings, who existed before January 24, 2023, have been killed by the Nigerian Air Force.
“An independent inquiry conducted by the NHRC into the incident and the result of the investigation made public as to who is/are responsible for the massacre of January 24, 2023.
“Reparation or solatia to be paid to those injured or who lost limbs.
“Reparation or solatia to be paid to those who lost property.
“That remedial measures such as training in emplaced to ensure that such a horrendous incident and other past incidents that were not investigated, are not repeated.
“That the NHRC accepts this complaint as a first step, acknowledges its receipt, and investigates the matter expeditiously so as to bring closure to the victims’ families and stop impunity.
“That in the absence of (f) above, the complainant on behalf of the victims will have no other option than to write to the UN Human Rights Council and the International Criminal Court in line with Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
The full list of the victims are contained as follows;
1. Abubkar Haruna [Male, Adult]
2. Jibirin Alh. Ja’oji [Male, Adult]
3. Ibrahim Alh. Ardo [Male, Adult]
4. Jammini Haruna [Male, Adult]
5. Audu Haruna [Male, Adult]
6. Abdulkarim Haruna [Male, Adult]
7. Yusuf Haruna [Male, Adult]
8. Okki Haruna [Male, Adult]
9. Chelowa Haruna [Male, –Adult]
10. Alh. Diyam Haruna [Male, Adult]
11. Dambo Alh. Diyam [Male, Adult]
12. Jammini AlhDiyam [Male, –Adult]
13. Mohammad Sale [Male –Adult]
14. Alh. Muhammad [Male, Adult]
15. Alh. Abubakar [Male, –Adult]
16. Hassan Alawa [male, –Adult]
17. Muhammad Abubakar [Male, –Adult]
18. Alh. Adamu Baso [male, Adult]
19. Ibrahim Moh’d [Male –Adult]
20. Ibrahim Yakubu [Male, –Adult]
21. Moh’d Dari [Male, –Adult]
22. Alh. Oli [Male –Adult]
23. Pagilo Madugu [Male –Adult]
24.Tata Huyajo [Male –Adult]
25. SojaBawa [Male –Adult]
26. Abubakar Jibir [Male, –Adult]
27.Dando Malam Mama [Male –Adult]
28. Abubakar Kowa [Male, –Adult]
29. Amadu Husaini [Male, Adult]
30. One Driver [Male -Adult] NAME UNKNOWN
31. One butcher [Male -Adult] NAME UNKNOWN.
An official of the National Human Rights Commsion could not reach for comment as at the time of filling this report.
