‘Probe Nigerian govt’s failure to protect students, teachers from criminals,’ SERAP tells UN

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) on Friday asked the United Nations Human Rights Office to appoint a country rapporteur to look into the increasing attacks on students and teachers in Nigeria.

The UN Human Rights Office is headed by Michelle Bachelet, a Chilean politician who ruled the South American nation two times.

The group was reacting to the killing of three abducted students of Greenfield University in Kasarami, Chikun local government area of Kaduna State.

In a statement posted on its Twitter handle, SERAP urged the UN to investigate the failure of the Nigerian government to prevent the attacks and hold perpetrators and their sponsors to account.

The statement read: “The killing of these students is a grim reminder of the horrific toll that the violence and insecurity across Nigeria is having on children and their education.

“The attacks on students are increasing, and Nigerian authorities are unwilling or unable to stop the attacks.

“The authorities have refused to promptly and effectively investigate reports of attacks on students, teachers, and their families, to prosecute the terrorists and their sponsors, and to provide effective remedies to victims.

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“We are calling on @mbachelet @UNHumanRights to appoint a country rapporteur to examine the growing attacks on students, teachers and their families, and the authorities’ failure to prevent the attacks and hold perpetrators and their sponsors to account.

“We urge @mbachelet @UNHumanRights @UN_SPExperts to publicly condemn the continuing insecurity and attacks on students in the country and to urge Nigerian authorities to ensure the safety and security of students, and to promptly secure the safe release of all abducted students.

“We also urge @mbachelet to prevail on the Nigerian authorities to urgently protect schools across the country, carry out a credible investigation on the abduction and killing of the Greenfield students, and ensure that those responsible for these atrocities are held to account.

“The killing of students and attacks on educational facilities constitute serious violations of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international human rights law.”

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