Human rights activist and former presidential candidate Omoyele Sowore has called for justice for victims of extrajudicial killings in Nigeria, urging authorities to ensure accountability for all perpetrators, regardless of their affiliations.
Sowore made the statement on Sunday through his X (formerly Twitter) handle, where he condemned various instances of mob violence and state-led extrajudicial actions.
He stressed the need for justice in cases such as the murder of Deborah Samuel, a student lynched by religious extremists in Sokoto on May 12, 2022, as well as the recent killing of innocent northerners by vigilantes in Edo State.
However, he criticised the Nigerian Army for alleged extrajudicial killings of Shiite protesters in Abuja.
“Whether you are a Muslim extremist who murdered student Deborah Samuel in Sokoto, or a vigilante who lynched innocent northerners in Utomi, Edo, or @HQNigerianArmy soldiers who extra-judicially murdered Shiite protesters in Abuja, they must face justice for their callous actions without exception,” Sowore posted on X.
The call for justice comes amid growing concerns over the rising cases of mob justice, ethnic violence, and unlawful killings by security forces in the country.
In May 2022, Deborah Samuel, a student of Shehu Shagari College of Education in Sokoto, was brutally murdered by a mob for alleged blasphemy.
Similarly, last week in Edo State, vigilante groups killed at least 16 northerners travelling through the state after labelling them as kidnappers.
The Nigerian Army has also faced repeated allegations of human rights abuses, particularly concerning the handling of protests by the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), commonly referred to as the Shiite group.
The group has accused the military of violently suppressing their demonstrations in Abuja and other parts of the country.
Sowore, known for his outspoken stance on human rights and governance issues in Nigeria, has consistently called for accountability from both state and non-state actors involved in human rights violations.
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