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Jungle justice, threat to security, safety in Nigeria – Stakeholders
Stakeholders have expressed worry over the spate of mob killings, saying it posed threats to national security.
Stakeholders, who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in separate interviews on Sunday in Lagos, described the increasing act as “disturbing.”
Mob justice or jungle justice is the act of individuals taking the law into their own hands by meting out punishment to alleged offenders without due process.
It is mostly targeted at those accused of theft, where the alleged criminal is publicly humiliated, tortured, stoned, beaten or lynched.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that in the past six weeks, the country has recorded several cases of mob killings.
On Oct. 1, a man identified as Monday, was beaten to death in Lagos state over alleged cable theft; the mob used copper wire to tie his neck, strangling him to death.
Also, on Oct. 13, in the Agenebode area of Edo, a mob attacked a police station, burnt to death some suspects accused of terrorising the community, set ablaze the police barracks, patrol vans and the Divisional Police Station.
A mob killed a suspect on Oct. 14, for allegedly stealing a motorcycle at Dei-Dei in Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Also, on Nov. 2, a man, Sefilahi Danlami, 19, was lynched over alleged theft at the Panteka Market in the Mpape area of the FCT.
On Oct. 18 in the Issele-Uku area of Delta, a mob hijacked two suspected motorcycle thieves from the custody of police and lynched them; same day in Sagamu area of Ogun, a mob killed a man, John Udoh, 22, for allegedly stealing a motorcycle.
An Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP Augustine Osupayi, 46, was killed on Oct. 19 by a mob in the Agege area of Lagos State, while trying to rescue a driver accused of hitting a motorcyclist.
The mob, unhappy with his intervention, lynched him.
Also, on Nov. 6, a suspected thief was mobbed to death after allegedly attempting to steal from a church at the Modern Market in Makurdi, Benue.
Similarly, on Nov. 9, a suspected burglar was macheted to death by a mob while attempting to commit a crime at Olu-Obasanjo Road in Port Harcourt.
A security expert, Mr Olaniyi Daniel, owner of Premier Guard Security Ltd, affirmed that mob justice posed grave risks to individuals and society.
“The killing of a person for a crime without due process is barbaric and should be condemned.
“If you lynch a person for stealing a phone or motorcycle, you are not innocent. You have committed murder which is even worse than stealing.
“This inhumane trend makes people to think that Nigeria is a lawless country, ” he said.
According to him, some Nigerians especially the unemployed are angry and frustrated, and at any slightest provocation, they can vent their anger on their fellow citizens.
He called on the government and law enforcement agencies to urgently check the growing trend.
“The National Orientation Agency (NOA) and other agencies should embark on sensitisation that will inform the public about the consequences of their actions.
“Government at all levels should look into the issue of employment, so as to take jobless youths off the streets and to implement the criminal justice system.
“Police and judiciary need to do more to tackle the menace by putting in place an effective punishment to ensure that culprits were prosecuted which would serve as a deterrent, ” he said.
In the same vein, a Legal Practitioner, Mr Emmanuel Ajayi, said that there was need to place priority on human life.
“The Nigerians constitution provides for the right to life, and it is declared that nobody’s life should be taken.
“Section 315 of the Criminal Code Act says that any person who unlawfully kills another is guilty of an offence called murder, ” he said.
He blamed illiteracy, unemployment, poverty, religion, lack of confidence in the police and judicial system, among others, for the rise.
“People lynched because they think that when suspects are handed over to the police or taken to court, they may buy their freedom and return to society to continue their atrocities.
“But there is no justification for mob action, no amount of loss of trust in the police or judiciary should make people to take the law into their hands.
“Due process must be followed before somebody can be pronounced guilty, this is necessary because a lot of innocent people have lost their lives to jungle justice, ” he said.
Ajayi urged the government to wake up to its responsibility of protecting lives and property.
He said government should also reform the police, judiciary and create employment.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, decried the rising incidents of mob justice.
He cautioned Nigerians against its consequences on criminal justice administration, rule of law and global reputation.
Adejobi, in a statement on Oct. 20 in Abuja, condemned the country’s jungle justice trend, describing it as “a deplorable and savage behaviour.”
The FPRO said the act had led to the tragic loss of lives and destruction of property across the country.
He said that the inhuman act was a betrayal of justice and due process, undermining the rule of law, fundamental principles and ideals of human rights and justice. (NAN)
Aides, Allies Disown Him, Say You’re a Traitor, We’re not Leaving PDP
Barely two weeks after his defection from the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), crisis has enveloped the political camp of a member of the House of Representatives for Obokun/Oriade federal constituency in Osun State, Oluwole Oke.
Indeed, these are not the best of times for him as his defection to the APC is eliciting rejection from his close circles and constituency.
His key allies who he groomed into politics and government positions have rejected his calls on them to join him to defect to the APC.
A source said that in the last few days, key aides and allies of the lawmaker have rejected his movement to the APC, describing it as a political tragedy.
“With the way he betrayed PDP, Oluwole Oke is like the proverbial Leopard that can never change the spots on its body. He will also betray the APC. We are staying back in PDP while severing political links with him”, one of his allies, Bamidele Johnson said.
Some of his allies were said to have openly declared that the defection marks a political waterloo for the 6th term legislator.
For instance, some of Oke’s allies in his Local Government scorned his move as “a decision borne out of greed and selfishness.”
One of them described him as “an ingrate who betrayed a party on whose platform he got married in life as a lawmaker and on whose platform he gained all his material riches.”
The Northern Youths Consultative Forum for Justice (NYCJ) has urged Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to declare a state of emergency in Zamfara State, citing a complete breakdown of governance, law, and order.
In a statement issued on Monday in Kano, NYCJ President Dr Sanusi Rano described the situation in Zamfara as “organised abandonment of duty” by elected officials.
“What we are witnessing in Zamfara is not governance. It is betrayal of the people,” Rano said, pointing to the absence of a functional state House of Assembly and allegations linking officials to criminal activities.
The group highlighted the suspension of 10 lawmakers who spoke out against the deteriorating security situation, arguing that their removal has left Zamfara without a legally recognised legislative body.
“This is a dictatorship of silence,” said Rano, adding that the lack of checks and balances has deepened the state’s crisis.
“The same hands that should protect Zamfara are profiting from its destruction,” Rano stated.
Calling for decisive action, the group demanded the appointment of a non-partisan administrator to rebuild the state’s institutions.
“If this is not done now, Zamfara risks becoming a permanent state of anarchy, which threatens our democracy,” Rano warned.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme of a Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, on Monday, sentenced the husband of late gospel singer, Osinachi, Peter Nwachukwu, to death by hanging.
Nwachukwu was found guilty of culpable homicide resulting in the death of the deceased ( his wife) on April 8, 2022.
The judge held that the prosecution had proven the burden of proof placed on it by the law and subsequently found the defendant guilty.
Nwachukwu was arraigned on June 3, 2022 by the Office of Attorney-General of the Federation (OAGF), on behalf of the Federal Government, on a 23-count charge .
The charge was on culpable homicide punishable with death, criminal intimidation, cruelty to children, criminal intimidation of children, spousal battery, among others.
In the course of trial, the prosecution called 17 witnesses, including two children of the late Osinachi, who testified as fourth prosecution and fifth prosecution witnesses, PW4 and PW5 respectively.
The prosecution also tendered 25 documents as exhibits before the court.
The defendant testified for the defence and further called four other witnesses and tendered four exhibits in his defence.
Shortly before sentencing, the defendant, counsel , Reginald Nwali, in his allocutus pleaded with the court to be lenient in its judgment.
Similarly, the prosecution counsel, Mrs Aderonke Imala, urged the court to give force to the law as stipulated.
Justice Nwosu-Iheme subsequently sentenced Nwachukwu to death by hanging on Count 1, while he was sentenced to two years imprisonment each on Counts 2, 3, 8,9, 12, 13, and 18.
The court sentenced the defendant to six months imprisonment on Count 10, three years imprisonment in Count 11, while he was fined the sum of N500,000 and N200,000 respectively on Counts 6 and 7 respectively. (NAN)