Establish a trust fund for victims of herdsmen attacks - SERAP tells Buhari

- The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project has reacted to the killings carried out across the country by herdsmen

- The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to establish a trust fund for the victims of all such attacks, and to speak to them and their families

- SERAP further stressed that a victim could also be someone dependent or a member of the immediate family or household of the person that has directly suffered harm

President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) to ensure that the federal government tackles the issue of attacks by herdsmen in various parts of the country.

This was made public in a statement signed by its deputy director, Timothy Adewale, on Wednesday, January 17, Daily Trust reports.

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Legit.ng gathers that SERAP also appealed to the president to protect the rights of victims of unlawful killings and their families.

The group called on the federal government to establish a trust fund for victims of herdsmen attacks, as a first step towards getting justice for victims of all such attacks.

The statement read: “So far, attempts by the government to address the persistent attacks by herdsmen in Benue, Taraba, Adamawa states and other parts of the country has overlooked the plight of the victims and their families.

“But it has to be made clear that victims of attacks apparently by herdsmen are entitled to effective remedies regardless of whether they bring their claims against the government in an individual or collective capacity.

“It is an imperative demand of justice that the responsibility of the perpetrators of the unlawful killings and destruction of property be clearly established and the rights of the victims and their families sustained to the fullest possible extent.

“Establishing a trust fund for victims of attacks by herdsmen will be an important first step towards justice for victims and their families.

“Victims’ right to an effective remedy and reparation is a legally enforceable human right and not a matter of charity.

“It is no coincidence that the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and human rights instruments such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights to which Nigeria is a state party, refer to victims’ right to effective remedies, including access to justice, reparation and guarantee of non-repetition."

According to the group, Buhari is in a powerful position to stop these unlawful killings and destruction of property across the country by men suspected to be herdsmen.

SERAP said the president needs to speak directly to Nigerians, especially the victims and their families.

“Continuing refusal of Buhari to speak directly to Nigerians on the matter and visit the states such as Benue, Taraba and Adamawa, that have been most affected by these attacks by herdsmen is feeding into the propaganda that this government may be shielding suspected perpetrators from justice and, more importantly, undermines the rule of law and facilitates continuing attacks.

"A victim does not necessarily have to be the person that has suffered the harm, as a dependent or a member of the immediate family or household of the person that has directly suffered harm can indirectly be characterized as a victim.

“Indeed, the Basic Principles of Justice for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power provides some guarantees for victims (including family members of direct victims), such as those that suffer ‘substantial impairment of their fundamental rights’ through acts or omissions of governments," the group stated.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng previously reported that the speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, warned that all perpetrators of killings across Nigeria would be decisively dealt with.

Dogara noted that there is no safe haven for such criminals in the country.

While delivering his opening address at the resumption of the plenary on Tuesday, January 16, the speaker called on government at all levels to protect Nigerians and not allow any kind of group unleash mayhem on the people.

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Source: Legit.ng