Human Rights Commission Inaugurates Panel to Probe Army/Shiite Clash

The National Human Rights Commission, (NHRC) on Monday in Abuja said was it not for its quick intervention, 51 members of the Shiite Muslim sect would have died inside a tunnel in Zaria.

The Executive Secretary of the Commission, Prof. Bem Angwe, made the disclosure while inaugurating ‎a Special Investigative Panel to probe circumstances that led to the killing of members of the sect by the Nigerian Army.

Angwe told newsmen that few days after the clash, senior members of the Shiite sect ran to the commission, lamenting that some of its members were still trapped inside a tunnel in Zaria.

He said: “On Monday, December 14, the office Chief of Army ‎Staff reported the case of a clash between it and the Shiite sect at Zaria. Coincidentally, the media was awash with news about the unfortunate incident that occurred in Zaria allegedly leading to the loss of several lives and property.

“Later in the week, some followers of the Shiite sect sought the intervention of the Commission for the release of some of their members trapped in a tunnel since the Sunday, December 13, incident.

“The Commission quickly ‎intervened. We requested the support of both the Military and the Nigerian Police Force, an effort that eventually led to the rescue of about 51 members of the Shiite sect.

“Though I am happy with the timely intervention that led to the rescue of the trapped persons, however, this Commission, in line with its mandate to receive complaints on human rights violation, monitor and investigate such allegations with a view to making appropriate determination in the circumstance, has decided to constitute a panel of investigation on the clashes between the Shiite and Military ‎that occurred in Zaria”.

According to him, the terms of reference of the five-man probe panel headed ‎by Mr. Tony Ojukwu, Director, Monitoring department of the NHRC, include finding out the immediate and remote causes of the violations.

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