Nigerian Chief of Army Staff
By M. Peter, Jos.
Reactions have continued to trail the killing of a 20 year old undergraduate Rinji Bala on Tuesday evening by a personnel of the Operation Safe Haven in Jos.
Although the Operation Safe Haven through its Media Officer, Major Ibrahim Shittu has tried to explain the inexcusable action, the State Government, Simon Lalong has ordered a probe and punishment for those found culpable.
Also, a political party, the Action Democratic Party, ADP through its Publicity Secretary, Danjuma Auta and a civil society organization, Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse, YIAVHA through its Executive Director, Pwakim Choji have expressed their dismay at the incident.
READ : Akeredolu seeks more investment in agriculture, flag off 2020 farming season
Auta in a statement said, “On behalf of the State Chairman, Hon. Gideon Adamu, the Action Democratic Party in Plateau state received with great shock and disappointment the shooting and killing of an innocent young vibrant and promising citizen of the state, a 300 level student Rinji Peter Bala, of the University of Jos in the premises of the Operation Safe Haven in the city center of Jos, the state capital.
“As a Party, we condole the immediate family of the deceased, the authorities of the University of Jos, and the entire youths in Plateau state and pray God to grand us the heart to bear this loss.
It will be recalled that ADP in Plateau state had been condemning the excesses of law enforcement agencies particularly the OPS in dealing with innocent citizens in the state and have on several occasions demanded that the state government and other authorities concern do something to stop these inhuman acts which has not yielded any result while our peace loving citizens have been at the receiving end.
Advertisement.
“Rinji Bala who was wrongfully bundled was one among several unfortunate victims of such gruesome acts of the security paid with tax payers’ money that have now turned against us. As much as we detest crime in whatever way, however caution must be taken in handling suspects and be treated as suspects until otherwise found guilty. ADP is again reiterating it’s position by saying that the killings in the state are becoming too numerous to be condone and something urgent must be done before it get out of hand.
“We equally view with disappointment the attitude of government always quick to condemn such acts without fallowing it with actions in arresting and prosecuting those found wanting. As a party, ADP is calling for justice in this matter and all other issues of security brutality that had ever taken place in the state and bring the perpetrators to book as nothing short of this will be welcome.”
RELATED STORY : Soldier kills 300 level UNIJOS student in Zaria, Jos North
The CSO on its part called for a transparent investigation and justice for the deceased saying, “As an organization, we are in support of people regardless of age, religion, ethnicity and any classification to adhere to preventive measures set out by the government and health personnel towards taming the spread of COVID-19 yet, we cannot keep a blind eye to the stack reality that the set out sanctions for violators be observed by the government and its agencies which are to be administered by the mobile courts.
“If we are to go by the information we have at our disposal, the killing of Rinji Peter Bala is a case of extrajudicial killing by an overzealous officer and his accomplices.”
