The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy and Development (FENRAD), a pro-democracy and human rights advocacy group, has condemned, demanded the prosecution of perpetrators behind the gruesome and unwarranted shooting of a young man by operatives of Operation Crush in Umuahia, Abia State.
Eyewitness reports claimed that the young man was shot at close range by security personnel attached to Operation Crush, a joint task force reportedly established to combat crime.
The Executive Director, FENRAD, Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, said: “This tragic incident occurred in broad daylight and the presence of civilians, leaving the community of Umuahia shocked and traumatised.”
According to multiple eyewitnesses, the incident occurred at Imo lane off Owerri Road, Umuahia, after the deceased reportedly disagreed with another young man in the neighbourhood.
The other party in the dispute allegedly contacted security operatives, who arrived at the scene shortly afterwards.
On sighting the operatives, the deceased was said to have taken off, prompting a chase by the security team. Witnesses allege that during the pursuit, the operatives fired a shot at very close range, hitting the fleeing young man in the stomach.
The bullet was said to have hit his stomach and exited through his body, shattering the windscreen of a parked SUV nearby.
Nwafor said: “FENRAD decries this blatant abuse of power and views it as one in a series of unlawful killings and rights violations committed by some rogue elements within security outfits operating in Abia and across Nigeria.
“No security architecture, no matter the noble intentions behind its formation, should operate above the law or outside the confines of constitutional order.
“This latest act of impunity not only violates the right to life as enshrined in Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), but also contravenes all international human rights standards to which Nigeria is a signatory, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the United Nations Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials.”
FENRAD thereafter called for the immediate investigation into the incident by an independent panel, possibly involving the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Civil Society Organisations, and community leaders, identification and arrest of the officers responsible for the shooting and full prosecution of those found culpable in line with the law to serve as deterrent to future abuses.
It further demanded compensation and support to the family of the deceased for the unjust loss and trauma suffered, review and reform of Operation Crush and similar security units to ensure adherence to rules of engagement and human rights standards.
“FENRAD maintains that a society where security agencies operate without accountability is one on the path to tyranny. We urge the Abia State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and all relevant security institutions to act swiftly, transparently, and responsibly in this matter. Justice must not only be done — it must be seen to be done,” Nwafor emphasised.
