The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved N135 million compensation for the families of the six traders killed in Abuja by some police officers.
On June 7, 2005, six spare parts dealers at the Apo Auto Spare Parts Market – Ifeanyi Ozor, Chinedu Meniru, Anthony Nwokike, Paulinus Ogbonna, Ekene Isaac Mgbe and Arebu Augustina – were reportedly killed by some policemen when they were driving home from a nightclub.
Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami said this while briefing State House correspondents at the end of the weekly FEC meeting in Abuja.
He said the Federal Ministry of Justice presented a memo to the council on a policy targeted at consolidating and upscaling the Nigerian observance of human rights in the country.
“As you will recall very well, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has established a record of being the first and only administration in history of Nigeria that has indeed tolerated, accommodated and enforced decision of the Human Rights Commission.
“And in this respect, talking of the Apo six, taking into consideration, the commission judge the government as being in breach of the human rights of certain individuals popularly referred to as Apo six, which unfortunate incidents predates the government of President Muhammadu Buhari.
“And the Human Rights Commission adjudged the government liable to pay about N130 million to the family of the victims of the alleged infractions.
“The government of President Muhammadu Buhari took steps to ensure payment of the N135 million to the Apo Six in compliance with the recommendations of the National Human Rights Commission, thereby giving teeth to the Human Rights Commission in terms of compliance with the recommendation,” he said.
The minister said the Committee for the Protection of Journalists, which is an international committee, had in 2022 adjudged Nigeria as the only African country that has been in full compliance in terms of the protection of the rights of the journalists, taking into consideration that “not a single incidence of death of a journalist has been recorded in Nigeria arising from infractions, relating thereto.”
