Reps demand justice for 18-year-old killed by task force

The House of Representatives has demanded an investigation into the killing of Kenneth Gyang to ensure justice is done with compensation for his family and proper medical care for the injured.

Rep. Dachung Bagos, a Peoples Democratic Party representative from Plateau State, made this statement after the plenary on Tuesday in Abuja approved a resolution of urgent public interest.
In his motion, he mentioned that on June 5, there was a conflict between security personnel and some of his constituents who were travelling to a funeral at a security checkpoint in Maraban Jama’a close to Kuru, Jos, the state capital.

He said that the security guards of the Special Task Team Operation Safe Haven, stationed at the well-known Vwei Mararaban Jama’a Kuru, Jos South Local Government Area, stopped them.

According to Bagos, the individuals begged the security guards to let them into the mortuary so they could retrieve the body of their deceased loved one for burial, and they were only granted admission after a fervent request.

He mentioned that on their way back from the mortuary, heading to the church for the funeral service, the same security personnel stopped them at the checkpoint and denied them access.

He said some youths on bikes came down to plead with the security personnel, but one among the security personnel shot at two of the youths, thereby killing 18-year-old Kenneth Gyang.
He said the security personnel also injured one Emmanuel Pam, adding that the victims were among the mourners conveying corpses from Zawan to Kuru for burial.

Bagos said the security personnel started shooting sporadically, scaring all people in the community, thereby making people abandon their businesses and vehicles in search of safety.

He said funeral processions had never had such confrontation or prohibition, either by order or convention, from the security agents at this or any other checkpoint in Jos and its environs.

The lawmaker said Gyang, a promising young man, had his precious and sacred life untimely terminated by an officer who ought to have guaranteed his safety.

The House, however, observed a minute’s silence in solemn respect to the victim, who lost his life during the incident.

The House also mandated the Commandant of the Special Task Force to investigate the killing of Gyang and ensure justice is done with compensation to his family and proper medical care for the injured.