Seize All The Houses Around Vandalised Pipelines – Rights Group Tells Government

MICHAEL AKINOLA

One of the human rights bodies in Nigeria has called on the Federal Governmet, to as a matter of urgency; enact a law that will make owners of buildings around wherever there is pipeline vandalisation to forfeit such properties for not reporting to the authorities when the bunkerers were carrying out the illegal act. 

The National President of the Human Rights Advocacy of Nigeria, HURAN, Comrade Yusuf Muhammed, said if such law is in place, no landlord, landlady or even their tenants will see such and not report to the authorities for quick action to be taken rather than keep quiet and allow the criminals to go and put them in danger.

Comrade Yusuf cited the previous incident, where properties worth millions of Naira were destroyed and many lives also lost in the inferno, adding that if owners of properties around the area had reported to the authorities without compromise the ugly incident would have been averted.

Speaking further Comrade Yusuf said that this last incident that happened at Ekoro area of Abule Egba on 19th January, 2020, thirty trailer trucks, one pick up van, four houses were burnt and that unconfirmed reports had it that those that lost their lives were more than five even though two were declared to members of the public.

“As a matter of urgency, I want the Federal Government to enact a law that will make the government to seize any property around the area where vandalisation takes place. By so doing, you will see that people living where vandalisation is taking place will report to the authorities; they will not want Government to take over their houses, so they will not compromise. We should take the bull by the horn!”

“Let this last one be the last; enough is enough! We cannot continue like this forever!” Comrade Yusuf lamented.