Two hundred and twenty-three days after failing to commence investigative public hearing into the rape and death of 14-year-old boarding student of Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja, Keren-Happuch Aondodoo Akpagher, Amnesty International has written to the speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamilla to comply with its resolution by commencing forthwith the public hearing.
Following a motion moved by Hon. Mark Gbilah, the House of Representatives, had on 7th of December 2021 resolved to conduct investigative public hearing of the said Premiere Academy with a view to uncovering the circumstances which led to the rape and death of its 14-year-old student.
But eight months after this resolution, which was saluted by members of the civil society, the lawmakers have failed to honour their own resolutions.
Concerned by the non-compliance of the lawmakers to their resolution to conduct an Investigative public hearing into the activities at Premiere Academy with regards to the rape and death of Keren and sundry allegations of sexual abuses therein, Amnesty International has called out the lawmakers to tow the path of honour by commencing the exercise.
It will be recalled that the leader of the anti-rape coalition and Executive Director of Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF), Lemmy Ughegbe, had over a month ago issued a pre-action notice to the House of Representatives members to commence the Investigative public hearing or face legal action.
In the letter signed by the country director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Osai Ojigho, the body called for an “immediate, impartial, effective and independent investigation” and “the prosecution of all those found culpable must be prosecuted in fair trials and punished with no recourse to the death penalty.”