Apo killings probe: Mark assures witnesses of protection

Senate President David Mark said on Wednesday in Abuja that witnesses, who come forward to testify in the Senate committees’ probe of the killings in Apo on September 22, would be “adequately” protected.

Mark gave the assurance at the beginning of the investigations into the cause of the killings, by the joint Senate Committees on National Security, Intelligence and Judiciary.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalls that about 10 occupants of an uncompleted building behind Apo Legislators Quarters were killed in September when security operatives invaded the building.

Members of the Boko Haram sect were suspected to be staying in the building.

Following a motion on the incident by Senator Sahabi Ya’u (PDP-Zamfara), the Senate mandated the joint committee to investigate the cause of the killings.

In his speech while declaring the hearing open, Mark pleaded with Nigerians, who had facts about the incident, to “freely come forward” with such information.

The Senate president said, “This is not the time for blame game. It is time to find facts. We must hear from all sides of the divide so that we can establish the truth and proffer solutions to the crisis.

“I want to plead with all witnesses to come forward with facts; I want to assure them that the Senate will give them adequate guarantee.”

Punch