A group known as Stop Impunity Nigeria (SIN) Campaign, has lauded the Lagos State Government for setting up a tribunal of inquiry into the road traffic accident in the Palmgroove area of Lagos on July 4 that led to arson and vandalization of Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses by soldiers.
The group had described the action of the soldiers who went on rampage following the accident that killed one of their colleagues as “an act of impunity, which is one of the major social problems perverting the Nigerian polity”.
It recommended that the inquiry into the incident should be thorough and that all indicted officers should be brought to book, adding that all persons and agencies of government whose rights were violated by the incident should also seek legal and economic redress.
Coordinator of the group, Bolaji Owasanoye of Human Development Initiatives (HDI) noted: “The concept of ‘impunity’ is linked with disregard for the law or rule of law, violation of human rights, abuse of legal-social order and deliberate disregard for due process.
“This impunity which translates to immunity from the law warrants a thorough investigation which, happily, the Lagos State Government has found the will and courage to institute.”
Owasanoye added that the accident, which resulted in loss of life, was clearly unfortunate and perhaps could have been avoided.
He also, wondered if it was right for soldiers to have taken laws into their hands by going on rampage, destroying government property, beating up civilians, and disturbing public peace.
He contended that the military is subject to civilian authority, “particularly having regard to Section 130 (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which declares that the President is the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation”.
The group assured that its representatives would be appearing before the tribunal of inquiry to make a presentation and that it would observe the entire proceedings of the panel until the end of the public hearing on September 26.
