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On December 25, 2018, around 2 pm, I was at the Nigeria Police Headquarters in Ikot Akpan Abia (Akwa Ibom State) to obtain a friend 's bail. What I saw at the police station was so appalling, disgusting and quite out of place for police officers.
A young man was dragged to the ground, seriously beaten with batons and a rifle; he was already bleeding in the head. One of the officers shouted, "Say one more word, let me kill you and no one will ask for it". To kill without anyone asking for it? I was stunned by such torture and a malicious expression. Who knows what followed!
On April 14, 2019, Sahara Reporters reported that "Two young lovers, identified as Ada Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Akomafuwa, returned from the nightclub early Saturday morning when they were agitated by the police. Akomafuna, the driver, did not stop immediately; so when the police pursued him, they shot both of them. "
According to the report, Sahara Reporters later confirmed that Akomafuwa had finally died at the hospital, while the young woman Adaobi Ojide had died instantly; The officers involved had been arrested, detained and then fired.
On Sunday, March 31, 2019, Kolade was allegedly shot dead by a member of the Federal Government's Special Anti-Robbery Brigade (F-SARS), while he was watching a Premier League game between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in Lagos.
As the Daily Post reported, Kolade's foster father, Alhaji Remi Lukman, during an interview with reporters at his residence on Tuesday, April 2, 2019, said the deceased had been deliberately killed by policemen thrilled with the trigger, adding that stray bullets would not have been able to penetrate his body twice.
Johnson's death has since been widely criticized. The federal government has again been called to end its police unit in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Brigade (F-SARS). Unfortunately, the outcry was not heard.
Once again, on 20 March 2019, Jumbo Ogah Ochigbo, auxiliary superintendent of the Nigerian Civil Defense and Security Corps (NSCDC), was reportedly beaten to death by his Nigerian police force in front of his wife and two children. for violation of the traffic rules have permeated the media.
The Guardian realized that he had turned around in the wrong place and had been reported by police officers stationed in the area. Ochigbo, who introduced himself as an officer, pleaded that he was rushing to drop his kids to school.
According to the report, the wife and children of the deceased intervened and pleaded for him. He was reportedly beaten to death and died at the same time. One of his children reportedly said, "Do not kill my father, please. leave my father alone.
"The NSCDC officer was confirmed dead at the Asokoro District Hospital in Abuja. The hospital was thrown into pandemonium while sympathizers began demonstrating, claiming that police had tried to throw the body to escape, "the report said.
Do we still need more examples? These are not the only crimes of the Nigerian police, as many others are not reported, while others that abound in the media are not mentioned in this article. It's really pathetic.
With this arbitrariness and carelessness, it is slowly and apparently part of the police system; this is of great concern as to whether extrajudicial executions are part of the duties and duties of the Nigerian police.
Article 214 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, provides "The Nigeria Police Force". Section 214 (2) (b) of the Constitution confers on the National Assembly the power to legislate, defining the powers and functions of the police.
Following the aforementioned provision of the Constitution, the Police Act, Cap P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004 was released. The law clearly defines the scope of the general and specific tasks of the police service.
Section 4 of the Police Act generally states that the police have a duty to include the maintenance of public order, the protection of life and property, the enforcement of laws and regulations, the detection of criminal offenses and the apprehension of offenders.
In fact, the police's duty to "protect life and property, preserve public order" under section 4 of the Police Act is equivalent to the government's primary obligation pursuant to Article 14 (2) (b) of the Constitution which states that "the safety and well-being of the population shall be the main objective of the Government".
Deduced from the foregoing, the police, as a government body, have the task of preserving the lives and property of citizens and protecting their fundamental rights under Chapter Four of the Constitution. Unfortunately, today is what is expected.
Instead of preserving our inalienable right to life, enshrined in article 33 of the Constitution, the police are now an instrument of violation of the law that it was supposed to preserve and enforce, illegally and without excuse killing Nigerians. What an unfortunate irony!
Unfortunately, among the provisions of the law that we reviewed above, unceasing extrajudicial executions are never mentioned in police duties, but we see them every day. It's almost a new way to identify our police force.
Given the current trend, we would not be surprised if Nigerian police officers wake up armed, go to public schools or the market and start firing, knowing full well that they will be defended, even if their actions are indefensible.
It is somewhat embarrbading, ridiculous and ridiculous that after each murder, the best the Force does is to issue a "press release" denying the murder or comforting the victim's family. If the culprits are arrested or returned, the song of justice will be sung. One may wonder if the dismissal or arrest will bring the dead back to life. Will it answer the families that their breadwinners have been killed? It's really disturbing.
Nnamdi Aduba in this book "The Right to Life in the Constitution, Law, Courts and Reality", while referring to Akintokunbo Adejumo in his book "The Police and Public Security of Nigeria", published on 18 / 01/2011, says this:
"This is a very positive and revealing report that has also revealed that Nigeria's police force is one of the most incompetent, ineffective, corrupt and brutal security organizations in the world."
He continues: "In fact, the Nigerian police no longer protect the Nigerian public but the Nigerian public should be protected from the men and women of this old and corrupt force, and that is where the problem lies, because who is going to protect the public? "
"The Nigerian police are now a danger to public safety and the conduct of its staff could be the cause of a major public health emergency and death at the national level".
Well-meaning Nigerians must all stand up to resist the arbitrary, illegal, illegal, disgusting, disturbing, brutal and indefensible murders that permeate our country. Life is too precious and should not be taken for granted. It may not be you today, but do you know tomorrow?
We should no longer fool ourselves with the popular but sarcastic aphorism of "the police are your friend," they are not our friends. We seem to be safer in the hands of touts and thieves than police officers.
By this article, I am addressing here to the Inspector General of Police, to the Police Commissioners; The Police Services Commission unanimously concluded that these murders were intolerable and hideous for us, issuing directives that will help to combat the tragedy we have experienced.
Too much is too much. Injury to one is an injury to all.
Edikan Ekanem is a legal practitioner based in Abuja, a contemporary writer and columnist. He can be reached @ [email protected]
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