Salome Abuh: Senate Calls for Arrest, Prosecution Killers of PDP Women Leader
The Senate has condemned in very strong terms, the gruesome murder of the woman leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Salome Abuh who was burnt alive at Ochadamu, Ofu Local government Area of Kogi State on November 18.
She was reportedly burnt inside her house bu thugs suspected to be working for the All Progressives Congres (APC).
The upper chamber particularly condemned the violence against the female candidates in the just concluded Kogi State elections and consequently urged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to as a matter of urgency, arrest and prosecute the masterminds of the very wicked and unfortunate killing of the former councilor.
After observing one-minute silence in honour of the PDP women leader, the Senate also urged states who were yet to domesticate the Child Rights Act (2003) and the Violence Against Persons Prohibition Act (VAPP 2015) to do so for the socio-economic development of their states and the nation at large.
The house also lamented that women around the world were being subjected to various forms of violence, rape, domestic violence, trafficking for sexual and domestic slavery with impunity.
The resolutions of the Senate were sequel to a motion by a lawmaker from Rivers state, Betty Apiafi to commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Meanwhile, the lawmaker representing Kogi Central District, Isah Jibrin,where the incident occurred in his contribution to the motion said that the late Abuh was a Victim of Circumstance and retaliatory in nature.
“She was a very peace-loving woman but the attack on her was retaliatory. The attack was an attack on APC when Ballo was declared a winner. Two people almost died, they on danger list in the hospital arising from that attack. It was a retaliatory attack on PDP and unfortunately, she became the victim very painful.
“Going forward, I want to believe there is an urgent need for laws against election violence in Nigeria. Bill’s that will put in place various deterrent measures against election violence in Nigeria. I almost lost my life during the election, some people are on danger list, one person died yesterday as a result of the violence and similar violence happened at various locations in Bayelsa State.
”I want to propose that way forward there should be sanctions that should act as a deterrent to occurrence of any form of violence, before, during and after any election.”
READ: Murder of Kogi PDP Women Leader: APC And PDP Trade Blames
On his part Senator James Manager, who noted such incident will naturally elicit reactions said the death of the Kogi women leader was most unfortunate.
” I condemn it for every reason I condemn it. Whether it is retaliatory or whatever that must never happen. I want to agree with the President that those who perpetrated that dastardly act must be fished out and if they have been arrested as reported in the media they must be paraded for everybody to see, This one must not be swept under the carpet. For a woman to be burnt to ashes, I think it is an abomination.”
