MURIC seeks support for Sokoto airstrike victims

Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Sokoto State chapter, has called for more support to airstrike victims and requisite investigation on the incident.

This is contained in a statement issued by the organisation’s Chairman in the state, Mr Mansur Aliyu, and made available to our reporter on Monday in Sokoto.

Aliyu said that MURIC was seriously concerned about the bombing of innocent citizens in the state, leading to the killing of, at least, 10 law-abiding citizens and wounding many, while several properties were destroyed.

He described the incident as disturbing, saying it highlighted the ongoing issue of killings of citizens through bombing without identifying and court-martialling the culprits.

”By way of emphasis, in the provisions of both civil and military laws in Nigeria, it is a criminal offence to kill citizens by mistake. It is alarming that this is not an isolated incident.

“While we commend the efforts of the Nigerian Air Force in fighting Lakurawa terrorists and bandits, we condemn, in the strongest terms, the killing of innocent citizens.

“We demand that those who carried out the bombing be identified and subjected to legal process,” Aliyu said.

He emphasised that killing someone, even if it is by mistake, is a criminal offence in itself, liable to punishment, particularly for military personnel.

The chairman recalled that in 2019, Nigeria Air Force officers killed two innocent citizens at Mabera area of Sokoto metropolis.

He said that the report of the committee which investigated the murder was neither made public nor communicated to the lawyers of the victims who fully took part during the sittings of the committee.

“We, therefore, demand a serious, sincere and unbiased investigation. The public deserves to know the truth and those responsible must be held accountable for their negligence.

“An open and transparent investigation with a clear timeline, coupled with a guarantee of report of the outcome, will help restore trust and ensure that justice is served.

“The people of Nigeria deserve better and it is time for the government to take concrete actions to protect its citizens’ rights and lives,” Aliyu said.

It was reported that military troops had, on Dec. 25, in a coordinated joint operation by Operation Fassan Yamma, destroyed the Lakurawa terrorist group in their hideouts, resulting in the death of about 10 people.

The operation, targetted at the terrorists’ hideouts in Gidan Sama and Rumtuwa communities in Silame Local Government Area of the state, also saw several others injured.