Senator demands N240m compensation for families of slain Abuja traders

Taiwo Adisa, Abuja - 14.01.2008

Chairman, Senate Committee on Housing, Senator Ikechukwu Obiora, has forwarded a petition to the Senate Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights, demanding the payment of N240 million compensation to the families of the six traders murdered by policemen in Abuja in 2005.

The senator, in the petition entitled “Budgetary Provision for Compensation of the Families of Apo Six,” asked that the Senate Committee on Judiciary should include the sum of N240 million to be paid as compensation to the relations of the Apo six in the 2008 budget being worked on at the National Assembly.

Senator Obiora insisted that since the judicial commission of inquiry which investigated the crime had confirmed that policemen were responsible for the murder, the responsibility to pay compensation to the families of the deceased now rested with the Federal Government.

The senator stated in the letter addressed to the Chairman of the Committee on Judiciary and Human Rights that “you will also recall that the Justice Olasumbo Goodluck Judicial Commission of Inquiry which enquired into this murder found the police officers culpable, thereby establishing the vicarious liability of the Federal Government for wrongful death of these innocent citizens.

“Consequently, it is unjust, disheartening and inexcusable that three long years after the murder of these breadwinners, no formal compensation has been paid to the excruciatingly pained and suffering families,” he said.