By Raphael Ekpang
Honourable Richard Gbande representing Katsina-Ala/Ukum/Logo Federal Constituency at the national assembly has condemned the extra judicial killing of late Mr Terwase Agwaza aka Gana and urged the Federal and Benue state governments to investigate his death.
Gbande in an exclusive interview with New National Star said even though he had consistently condemned the reign of terror Mr Terwase Agwaza unleashed on his community, he will not condoned the extra-judicial killing of a repented militant, insisting the Rule of Law and International Humanitarian Laws are sacrosanct and must always prevail hence, extra-judicial killings of suspects is unacceptable
“What the law says is that, “if you arrest a person, he is under your control, and so as a professional military man you cannot gun him down.”
“Extra-judicial killing is an infringement of the citizens’ rights to life and state violation of international human rights charter of which Nigeria is a signatory. The paper strongly recommends that Nigerian Security Agencies must be re-orientated on how best to protect the rights of their citizenry,” he said.
The lawmaker, however urged the FG and Benue state governments to take further measures to addressing social, political, economic and environmental challenges, and to develop strategies to calm the reprehensible act that can incite banditry and criminal acts, while addressing the conditions conducive to the spread of violent extremism, which can be conducive to terrorism, to help build and sustain peace by addressing the root causes of the security crisis in the region.
Gbande also called on the government to foster youths’ education and farmers’ empowerment programs in order to help address the conditions which have enabled the emergence and survival of bandits and criminals in the region ( his constituency).
Meanwhile, he urged his constituents and youths in the area to remain calm and law abiding.
It will be recalled that on September 8, 2020 It was reported that the late Gana was on his way to the government house in Makurdi to be presented to the state security council having embraced amnesty programme of governor Samuel Ortom before he was ambush and killed by the military.
