By Gowon Emakpe
Amnesty International has said that what happened in Owo in Ondo State reveals the impunity enjoyed by gunmen on the rampage across Nigeria.
The Organisation stressed that the tragic event should offer a wake-up call for the authorities, who must now do everything they can to ensure the perpetrators face justice.
Amnesty International stated this in reaction to the killing of more than 20 worshippers, including women and children, at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on Sunday, Osai Ojigho Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, said: “What happened in Owo reveals the impunity enjoyed by gunmen on the rampage across Nigeria. This tragic event should offer a wake-up call for the authorities, who must now do everything they can to ensure the perpetrators of this appalling crime face justice.”
“This brutal attack shows a complete disregard for the right to life. Under international human rights law, Nigeria has a duty to protect the right to life of its people in all circumstances.
“Victims and their families have a right to know the truth about this shooting and to be provided with justice and reparations. Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian judicial authorities to immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation to identify the perpetrators of this crime, and to prosecute and judge them in fair trials, without recourse to the death penalty”, it stated.
