The African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Commission), meeting at its 51st Ordinary Session in Banjul, The Gambia, from 18 April to 2 May 2012;
Recalling its mandate to promote and protect human and peoples’ rights in Africa pursuant to the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (the African Charter);
Noting Article 3(f) and (h) of the Constitutive Act of the African Union (AU) which states that the objectives of the AU shall be to promote peace, security, and stability on the continent, as well as human and peoples’ rights in accordance with the African Charter and other relevant human rights instruments;
Considering Article 1 of the African Charter which calls on Member States to adopt legislative or other measures to give effect to the rights and freedoms enshrined therein;
Further Considering Article 4 of the African Charter by virtue of which human beings are inviolable, with every human being entitled to respect for his life and the integrity of his person;
Recalling Resolution ACHPR/RES.211 (EXT.OS/XI) 2012 on the Human Rights Situation in Nigeria, which condemned acts of violence committed by armed groups against citizens in Nigeria, which resulted in loss of lives, injury and destruction of property;
Deeply Concerned by the acts of violence which have continued unabated;
1. Strongly Condemns recent acts of violence committed on 26 April 2012, in which the offices of This Day newspaper were attacked in Abuja and Kaduna, resulting in the death of several people and destruction of property;
2. Also Condemns the subsequent attack that occurred on 29 April 2012, in which gunmen attacked worship services at Bayero University campus in the city of Kano killing at least 16 people and wounding 22 others, and at the Church of Christ in Nigeria, in Maiduguri, killing at least 3 people;
3. Calls on the authors of such indefensible acts of violence to immediately stop their attacks against civilians;
4. Urges the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to take all necessary measures to ensure the protection of its civilians in accordance with its regional and international human rights obligations; and
5. Calls on the ECOWAS, African Union, and the international community to support the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in its efforts to end these acts of violence.
Done in Banjul, The Gambia, 2 May 2012
