Responding to the killing of more than 20 worshippers, including women and children, at the St. Francis Catholic Church in Owo on Sunday, Osai Ojigho, Amnesty International’s Nigeria Director, said:
“What happened in Owo reveals the impunity enjoyed by gunmen on the rampage across Nigeria. This tragic event should offer a wake-up call for the authorities, who must now do everything they can to ensure the perpetrators of this appalling crime face justice.
“This brutal attack shows a complete disregard for the right to life. Under international human rights law, Nigeria has a duty to protect the right to life of its people in all circumstances.
“Victims and their families have a right to know the truth about this shooting and to be provided with justice and reparations. Amnesty International is calling on the Nigerian judicial authorities to immediately launch a thorough and impartial investigation to identify the perpetrators of this crime, and to prosecute and judge them in fair trials, without recourse to the death penalty.”
Amnesty International
