Jungle Justice: A Human Rights Problem in Nigeria
This article was written by ASFL Local Coordinator, Odewale Abayomi Joseph.
Based on the universal declaration of human rights, a few of the hallmarks of a society erected on the platform of liberty are: “everyone has right to life” and “no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment”. While, “[those] charged with a penal offence has the right to be presumed innocent until proved guilty”.
It is quite worrisome and inhuman going by painstaking observation of recurrent trends in Nigeria; hardly will a week pass without cases of mob attackers mercilessly pouncing on suspects. Wide practice of this primitive act in this age makes one wonder whether Nigeria is experiencing progression or retrogression.
The recent cyberspace eruption over a “seven years old boy”; who was heinously murdered in Lagos for stealing “garri” brought to the fore the inherently laden and nagging practice of jungle justice which has infiltrated the colourations of our society. With utmost disregard to the rule of law, many people, with heartless effrontery, judge and kill fellow human beings without any sense of humanity. Sad to note that the indifferent passersby and bystanders at the gory scene derived joy in taking pictures and recording video clips for whatever reason they do so.
In saner climes, enough time is taken for proper investigation and prosecution of crime suspects. With the rampant mob attacks, many Nigerians are obviously not respecting human rights. This is invitation to lawlessness! The Shi’ites killings and Fulani herdsmen havocs further attest to infringements on human rights, adorned in nonchalance regalia — capable of invoking violence. These utter disregards for the sacred human lives are capable of causing outbursts, disorderliness and tension across this fragile nation if radical sanity is not restored.
The lawlessness in the offing is traceable to the rots in our diverse institutions. Such an irony, it is an insult to our judicial system seeing confirmed treasury looters arrested, meted with sham prosecutions and released on paltry bail terms. What baffles me is how these elitist manipulators are being hailed as saints by the masses while walking freely among those they deprive the essentials of good life due to their indiscriminate and over bloated plundering of our commonwealth. But the frustrated masses involved in “minute” offences are lynched by the angry mobs or sent to lifetime imprisonment.
All hope may be lost in the Nigeria Police and the NSCDC as they usually fail to respond promptly to cases of mob attacks. This situation has undoubtedly affected the integrity of our entire security system. The judiciary which ought to be the masses’ last hope inspires no confidence in the Nigerian people. The “Aluu four” lynching where “Chiadika Biringa, Lloyd Toku Mike, Tekena Elkanah and Ugonna Obuzor” were gruesomely murdered by vigilante groups over false thievery accusation reflects the danger and backwardness of jungle justice. Had it been they were granted fair hearings and properly prosecuted — the death of these promising youths could have been averted and the truth would have unfolded.
Human rights can be seamlessly respected when our institutions work harmoniously. Therefore, our corrupt and defective institutions need to be restructured, strictly guided and guarded in dealings on the platter of fairness, equity and transparency. The perpetrators of jungle justice should be dealt with because anybody could be a victim. This barbaric act must stop!
Opinions in the article above are those of the writer, and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of ASFL.