The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has asked Dangote Cement Plc to pay a sum of N49 million to the individuals and families of victims that were injured and gruesomely killed extra-judicially by the guards of Dangote branch office at Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State in March, 2014.
Seven persons were killed and seven others injured by Dangote Cement guards during a crisis that occur Tse-Kucha community in Yandev area of the local government on Tuesday, March 18, 2014.
Chief press officer of the NHRC, Fatimah Mohammed, in a statement released on Thursday, October 16, 2014 said Dangote Cement was fined the sum N5 million to pay to each of the families of the seven deceased persons and N2 million each to the other brutally injured persons.
According to Fatimah, Dangote Cement agreed to pay the accrued sum after investigation was conducted by NHRC and petition of the victims and families of the deceased person were considered.
The statement read in released by the community members through the commission, there has been a concrete agreement between both parties to amicably settle the issue as all affected persons shall be compensated accordingly
“Victims and family members affected by the crisis that occur on Tuesday, March 18, 2014 crisis at Tse-kucha in Yandev, Gboko Local Government Council of Benue State, have expressed appreciation to the National Human Rights Commission for its intervention in their petition on the case of alleged extra-judicial killing pending before the commission and requested it to close the matter.
“The commission had, pursuant to the receipt of the complaint undertaken preliminary investigations and conducted hearings after which parties explored mediation and reached an agreement brokered by the Governor of Benue state, Dr. Gabriel Susuam between representatives of the victims and Dangote Cement Plc.
“This amicable settlement resulted to the acceptance by the management of Dangote Cement plc to pay a monetary compensation of five million naira (N5,000,000.00) each to the families of the seven deceased persons and two million naira (N2,000,000.00) each to the seven injured persons.”
The statement also quoted the executive secretary of the commission, Prof Bem Angwe, as promising “that the commission will continue to hold any institution accountable for human rights violations committed by them.”
