THE STATE OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN NIGERIA 2005 - UNDP Nigeria ...

CHAPTER FOURTEENPOLITICAL KILLINGS AND VIOLENCEEvery person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life,save in execution of the sentence of a court of law in respect of criminal offence ofwhich he has been found guilty in Nigeria.Section 33(1), 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of NigeriaHuman beings are inviolable. Every human being shall be entitled to respect for his lifeand the integrity of his person. No one may be arbitrarily deprived of this right.Every individual shall have the right to the respect of the dignity inherent in a humanbeing and to the recognition of his legal status. All forms of exploitation anddegradation of man particularly slavery, slave trade, torture, cruel, inhuman ordegrading punishment and treatment shall be prohibited.Every individual shall have the right to liberty and to the security of his person. No onemay be deprived of his freedom except for reasons and conditions previously laid downby law. In particular, no one may be arbitrarily arrested or detained.Articles 4, 5 and 6, African Charter on Human and Peoples' RightsEvery human being has the inherent right to life. This right shall be protected by law.No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of his life.Article 6, International Covenant on Civil and Political RightsDespite the provisions of these human rights instruments on the sacred nature of human life, peopleare still deprived of their lives in circumstances that are prohibited by law. The following cases are fewexamples of lives arbitrarily taken under circumstances that can be referred to as political killings.On the July 2, 2006, the body of Mr. Jesse Aruku was found in a drainage on Miango Road in Josmetropolis of Plateau State. The deceased was the General Manager of Plateau State TourismBoard and a governorship aspirant.Jesse Aruku went out at about 8.00 pm of the night of 1 st July 2006 to buy drugs. When he had notreturned by midnight, his wife called him on his mobile phone and he assured her that he would comehome later, that he was in a meeting. At about 2.00 a.m, she called again and someone else answeredthe phone and promised that the deceased will be released after they had “finished dealing with him”.His corpse was found the following day, with evidence of strangulation and stab wounds.On May 27, 2006 at about 2.00 to 3.00 p.m., along Giwa Barracks Road, Maiduguri MetropolitanCouncil, Borno State, a group of political thugs popularly called “ECOMOG” who are reputed tobe supporters of the ruling party in the state, All Nigeria Peoples’ Party (ANPP) in Maiduguriclashed among themselves over the sharing of the sum of N2m (Two million Naira) allegedly given tothem by the state governor as poverty alleviation loan on the 24 th May 2006.83