Coalition Of Civil Societies Writes Police Inspector-General Over Gunmen’s Attack On HEDA Chairman, Suraju’s Home
Suraju Olanrewaju
A coalition of civil society organisations has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba over the attack on the residence of Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre by gunmen.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how five armed men invaded Suraj's residence and threatened to kill him and his wife.
Suraju Olanrewaju
The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15am on Monday, March 28, 2022.
The group in a letter signed by Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos, Centre for Citizens' Rights Lafia, Nasarawa State, Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Centre, Onyigbuo Stephen Uche, Private Citizen, Enugu State, COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding - Akwa Ibom State, Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF) and forty two others called on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA.
The letter read, “We, the undersigned representatives of key human rights and civil society organisations in Nigeria, received with utter shock and serious concern, news of the dastardly and condemnable attack on the Lagos home of Mr. Olanrenwaju Suraju, Executive Director, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in the early hours of Monday, March 28, 2022 by unknown armed men who broke into his residence, tied him and his wife up and subjected them to brutal and humiliating treatment in the presence of their children.
“We are informed that about five armed men broke into Suraju's home on the said day and subjected him and his wife to verbal threats and severe beatings. The attackers also took away valuables such as phones, laptops, and a car.
“This attack and the dispossession of the Surajus of sensitive personal items have left the family traumatised and exposed them to further risks of the likelihood of invasion and illegal access to their private data including bank information.
“It is apparent that this attack was targeted and political as, out of the estate's over 200 houses, only Suraju's house was broken into by the attackers. They also made comments that gave them away as agents acting on behalf and at the behest of a politically exposed person or persons who had occupied public offices in Nigeria whom Suraju's and HEDA's anti-corruption campaigns have affected unfavorably or not gone down well with.
“We also note that this attack is coming on the heels of the ongoing apparently malicious prosecution and harassment of Mr. Suraju for opening the can of worms on the Malabu deal, which named former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, as a beneficiary.
“This attack highlights the level of threats that anti-corruption activists face, as well as the extent to which desperate public officials accused of corruption and being called to account could go to silence those who muster the courage to demand accountability in the use of public resources.
“The invasion of the home of Suraju and attack on his family members is criminal and forebodes great danger to the safety of law-abiding and patriotic citizens who engage in legitimate campaigns for integrity and accountability in the management of public resources.
“If this grievous crime is not investigated and the perpetrators fished out and brought to account, the anti-corruption mantra of the Buhari-led government will end up as sheer hypocrisy and individuals and organizations genuinely committed to assisting the government's touted commitment to fighting corruption will be discouraged and corruption will finally kill the country.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order a prompt, Impartial and exhaustive investigation with a view to identifying the criminal invaders and bringing them to account. We call for adequate compensation to the Surajus for the violation of their rights to privacy, human dignity and to own property, among others.
“We also call on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA. Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem as we look forward to your urgent attention to this petition.”
Coalition Of Civil Societies Writes Police Inspector-General Over Gunmen’s Attack On HEDA Chairman, Suraju’s Home,
A coalition of civil society organisations has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba over the attack on the residence of Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre by gunmen.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how five armed men invaded Suraj’s residence and threatened to kill him and his wife.
Suraju Olanrewaju
The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15am on Monday, March 28, 2022.
The group in a letter signed by Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos, Centre for Citizens’ Rights Lafia, Nasarawa State, Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Centre, Onyigbuo Stephen Uche, Private Citizen, Enugu State, COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding – Akwa Ibom State, Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF) and forty two others called on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA.
The letter read, “We, the undersigned representatives of key human rights and civil society organisations in Nigeria, received with utter shock and serious concern, news of the dastardly and condemnable attack on the Lagos home of Mr. Olanrenwaju Suraju, Executive Director, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in the early hours of Monday, March 28, 2022 by unknown armed men who broke into his residence, tied him and his wife up and subjected them to brutal and humiliating treatment in the presence of their children.
“We are informed that about five armed men broke into Suraju’s home on the said day and subjected him and his wife to verbal threats and severe beatings. The attackers also took away valuables such as phones, laptops, and a car.
“This attack and the dispossession of the Surajus of sensitive personal items have left the family traumatised and exposed them to further risks of the likelihood of invasion and illegal access to their private data including bank information.
“It is apparent that this attack was targeted and political as, out of the estate’s over 200 houses, only Suraju’s house was broken into by the attackers. They also made comments that gave them away as agents acting on behalf and at the behest of a politically exposed person or persons who had occupied public offices in Nigeria whom Suraju’s and HEDA’s anti-corruption campaigns have affected unfavorably or not gone down well with.
“We also note that this attack is coming on the heels of the ongoing apparently malicious prosecution and harassment of Mr. Suraju for opening the can of worms on the Malabu deal, which named former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, as a beneficiary.
“This attack highlights the level of threats that anti-corruption activists face, as well as the extent to which desperate public officials accused of corruption and being called to account could go to silence those who muster the courage to demand accountability in the use of public resources.
“The invasion of the home of Suraju and attack on his family members is criminal and forebodes great danger to the safety of law-abiding and patriotic citizens who engage in legitimate campaigns for integrity and accountability in the management of public resources.
“If this grievous crime is not investigated and the perpetrators fished out and brought to account, the anti-corruption mantra of the Buhari-led government will end up as sheer hypocrisy and individuals and organizations genuinely committed to assisting the government’s touted commitment to fighting corruption will be discouraged and corruption will finally kill the country.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order a prompt, Impartial and exhaustive investigation with a view to identifying the criminal invaders and bringing them to account. We call for adequate compensation to the Surajus for the violation of their rights to privacy, human dignity and to own property, among others.
“We also call on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA. Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem as we look forward to your urgent attention to this petition.”
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A coalition of civil society organisations has petitioned the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba over the attack on the residence of Mr Olanrewaju Suraju, Chairman of HEDA Resource Centre by gunmen.
SaharaReporters had earlier reported how five armed men invaded Suraj’s residence and threatened to kill him and his wife.
Suraju Olanrewaju
The assailants who were caught on CCTV camera invaded Mr Suraju’s home in Lagos at around 2:15am on Monday, March 28, 2022.
The group in a letter signed by Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC), Lagos, Centre for Citizens’ Rights Lafia, Nasarawa State, Grassroots Development Monitoring and Advocacy Centre, Onyigbuo Stephen Uche, Private Citizen, Enugu State, COMPPART Foundation for Justice and Peacebuilding – Akwa Ibom State, Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF) and forty two others called on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA.
The letter read, “We, the undersigned representatives of key human rights and civil society organisations in Nigeria, received with utter shock and serious concern, news of the dastardly and condemnable attack on the Lagos home of Mr. Olanrenwaju Suraju, Executive Director, Human and Environmental Development Agenda (HEDA) in the early hours of Monday, March 28, 2022 by unknown armed men who broke into his residence, tied him and his wife up and subjected them to brutal and humiliating treatment in the presence of their children.
“We are informed that about five armed men broke into Suraju’s home on the said day and subjected him and his wife to verbal threats and severe beatings. The attackers also took away valuables such as phones, laptops, and a car.
“This attack and the dispossession of the Surajus of sensitive personal items have left the family traumatised and exposed them to further risks of the likelihood of invasion and illegal access to their private data including bank information.
“It is apparent that this attack was targeted and political as, out of the estate’s over 200 houses, only Suraju’s house was broken into by the attackers. They also made comments that gave them away as agents acting on behalf and at the behest of a politically exposed person or persons who had occupied public offices in Nigeria whom Suraju’s and HEDA’s anti-corruption campaigns have affected unfavorably or not gone down well with.
“We also note that this attack is coming on the heels of the ongoing apparently malicious prosecution and harassment of Mr. Suraju for opening the can of worms on the Malabu deal, which named former Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, as a beneficiary.
“This attack highlights the level of threats that anti-corruption activists face, as well as the extent to which desperate public officials accused of corruption and being called to account could go to silence those who muster the courage to demand accountability in the use of public resources.
“The invasion of the home of Suraju and attack on his family members is criminal and forebodes great danger to the safety of law-abiding and patriotic citizens who engage in legitimate campaigns for integrity and accountability in the management of public resources.
“If this grievous crime is not investigated and the perpetrators fished out and brought to account, the anti-corruption mantra of the Buhari-led government will end up as sheer hypocrisy and individuals and organizations genuinely committed to assisting the government’s touted commitment to fighting corruption will be discouraged and corruption will finally kill the country.
“We call on the Inspector-General of Police to order a prompt, Impartial and exhaustive investigation with a view to identifying the criminal invaders and bringing them to account. We call for adequate compensation to the Surajus for the violation of their rights to privacy, human dignity and to own property, among others.
“We also call on the IGP to guarantee the physical safety and psychological integrity of members of the Suraju family as well as members of staff of HEDA. Please accept the assurances of our highest esteem as we look forward to your urgent attention to this petition.”
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