A popular human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN says Nigerians should hold the government responsible for killings perpetrated by herdsmen in the country.
He said it was the duty of the government to fish out and prosecute any herdsman involved in criminal activities and the government must be blamed for dereliction of duty when they fail in that regard.
Falana spoke in a Friday statement in support of a suit filed by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) which was adjourned until April 22, 2021, by the ECOWAS Court of Justice in Abuja.
The court had adjourned the suit for judgement after hearing arguments fom Falana, who is SERAP’s counsel, and counsel to the government, Adedayo Ogundele.
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Arguing in favour of SERAP’s suit, Falana said, “The government has not denied the serious averments by SERAP. The government is responsible for the unlawful killings by herdsmen and other unknown perpetrators, which have not been adequately prevented, investigated, or prosecuted by the authorities.
“These responsibilities are heightened when an observable pattern has been overlooked or ignored, such as is the case in this suit.
“The government has a responsibility to protect and ensure the security of life and property of everyone in Nigeria.
“It is not enough for the government to say that civil cases have been brought by some of the victims. The government has a responsibility to investigate, fish out the perpetrators and prosecute them, and to compensate the victims.”
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