JUNGLE JUSTICE: WHY LYNCH THE POOR THIEF AND EULOGISE THE BIG THIEF?
JUNGLE JUSTICE: WHY LYNCH THE POOR THIEF AND EULOGISE THE BIG THIEF?
By Paul onu
08102624634
Onuwizzy88@gmail.com
Jungle justice as the term implies, is a situation when people take laws into their hands and punish offenders of an alleged crime. This practice has become a norm in the Nigerian society, and has risen to an unprecedented height.
According to a recent research conducted, it takes just 30 to 50 seconds for the mob to decide whether or not to administer its brand of justice, and only 3 out of 7 criminals escape the claws of these irate mobsters. This means that the other 7 are either burnt to death, stoned or other forms of inhumane treatments meted on them.
However, it has become very much obvious that the administration of this form of justice has never proved to help in crime reduction, and the continued practice calls for concern.
These activities of mobsters clearly contravenes the provisions of section 33 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, which clearly states that, “every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria, and it also denies the suspect right to fair hearing as enshrined in the constitution.
This practice has gone a long way in denting Nigeria’s image in the comity of nations as a country that cannot guarantee the human rights of her citizens in this regard. And it is however worthy to note that perpetrators of this barbaric act ranges from members of vigilante groups, commercial motorcyclists otherwise known as okada men and youths who have become very much addicted to drugs like rafenol, codeine, Parkalin, tramadol, and Indian hemp.
When you try to plead with mobsters to stop beating a suspect or hand them over to the police, you hear say,”you too dey support thief? You may even end up beaten alongside with the suspect. The major problem here is that while people who steal items like mobile phones, laptops etc. are lynched, those who embezzle and steal public funds amounting to several billions of naira are celebrated, given chieftaincy titles, some even make them their role models. They continue to pray that God should bless them like he had blessed that man. And when these big thieves are arrested for embezzling public funds, these mobsters are quick to rise in their defense, they swiftly tag it,” witch hunt or persecution! But one visible fact here is that both of them stole! either as a politician or a common man. So why lynch the poor thief and praise the big thief?
It is
very much disheartening to learn that People are always willing to
donate their spare tyres and fuel to set a thief ablaze. An example of
this scenario is the case of two members of a robbery gang who were
caught and set ablaze by an irate mob for allegedly trying to rob a
woman in Gboko, Benue state.
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE OF JUNGLE JUSTICE IN NIGERIA
1. UNEMPLOYMENT: it is no doubt very true that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. With unemployment on the rise in Nigeria, it avails unemployed youths the opportunity of either staying at home, or roaming aimlessly on the streets. And when there is a shout of “Thief! Thief!, they quickly swing to action. It is worthy to note that so many lives would have been saved if our youths were gainfully employed.
2. LACK OF TRUST ON LAW ENFORCEMNT AGENCIES: In fact, this is the chief cause of jungle justice in Nigeria. Irate mobsters believe that once the suspect is taken to the police station, they would be eventually let off the hook after paying a certain amount of money. There have been reported cases of policemen helping suspect escape from cell. Notable of these is the confession by a notorious car snatcher that he paid the police #60,000 to escape from cell. This unethical and unprofessional conduct of police officers makes the public lose confidence on them, thereby encouraging jungle justice.
3. INTAKE OF DRUGS BY YOUTHS: The negative effect of drug addiction on our youths cannot be over emphasized, as it distorts their thinking faculty, they think and behave abnormal and there is every tendency of them engaging in jungle justice. An example of this instance happened on 13th April, when a young man was burnt to death for allegedly kidnaping a child. However, investigations revealed that the perpetrators were group of drug addicts and Indian hemp smokers.
4. POWER DRUNKENESS ON THE PART OF VIGILANTE GROUPS: vigilante groups had no doubt fuelled the practice of jungle justice in Nigeria. Members of these vigilante groups are quick to beat, naked and even torture suspects instead of handing them over to relevant law enforcement agents. An example of this scenario happened over the weekend in okpoga, headquarters of okpokwu local government area of Benue state when members of the vigilante group in the area arrested an armed robber, instead of handing him over to the police, they quickly set him ablaze. This led to a reprisal as other members of the gang traced, abducted and also set ablaze a member of the vigilante.
THE WAY FORWARD OUT OF THIS MENACE
1. The national orientation agency, (NOA) has a lot to do in creating awareness especially in the grassroots on the need to stop the practice. This could be done by organizing town hall meetings, seminars, engaging opinion leaders, youth leaders and traditional leaders.
2. Corrupt police officers aiding release of suspects from custody should be dismissed so as to serve as a deterrent to others and also earn public trust.
3. Periodic seminars should be organized for members of vigilante groups and police officers on human rights violations. I believe from this seminar, members of vigilante groups will now handover suspects to relevant law enforcement agencies, other than applying the barbaric method of jungle justice.
4. Perpetrators of this act should be punished accordingly; also existing laws to this effect should be strengthened to ensure stiffer punishment for violators.
By Paul onu
08102624634
Onuwizzy88@gmail.com
Jungle justice as the term implies, is a situation when people take laws into their hands and punish offenders of an alleged crime. This practice has become a norm in the Nigerian society, and has risen to an unprecedented height.
According to a recent research conducted, it takes just 30 to 50 seconds for the mob to decide whether or not to administer its brand of justice, and only 3 out of 7 criminals escape the claws of these irate mobsters. This means that the other 7 are either burnt to death, stoned or other forms of inhumane treatments meted on them.
However, it has become very much obvious that the administration of this form of justice has never proved to help in crime reduction, and the continued practice calls for concern.
These activities of mobsters clearly contravenes the provisions of section 33 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria, which clearly states that, “every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria, and it also denies the suspect right to fair hearing as enshrined in the constitution.
This practice has gone a long way in denting Nigeria’s image in the comity of nations as a country that cannot guarantee the human rights of her citizens in this regard. And it is however worthy to note that perpetrators of this barbaric act ranges from members of vigilante groups, commercial motorcyclists otherwise known as okada men and youths who have become very much addicted to drugs like rafenol, codeine, Parkalin, tramadol, and Indian hemp.
When you try to plead with mobsters to stop beating a suspect or hand them over to the police, you hear say,”you too dey support thief? You may even end up beaten alongside with the suspect. The major problem here is that while people who steal items like mobile phones, laptops etc. are lynched, those who embezzle and steal public funds amounting to several billions of naira are celebrated, given chieftaincy titles, some even make them their role models. They continue to pray that God should bless them like he had blessed that man. And when these big thieves are arrested for embezzling public funds, these mobsters are quick to rise in their defense, they swiftly tag it,” witch hunt or persecution! But one visible fact here is that both of them stole! either as a politician or a common man. So why lynch the poor thief and praise the big thief?
FACTORS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE RISE OF JUNGLE JUSTICE IN NIGERIA
1. UNEMPLOYMENT: it is no doubt very true that an idle mind is the devil’s workshop. With unemployment on the rise in Nigeria, it avails unemployed youths the opportunity of either staying at home, or roaming aimlessly on the streets. And when there is a shout of “Thief! Thief!, they quickly swing to action. It is worthy to note that so many lives would have been saved if our youths were gainfully employed.
2. LACK OF TRUST ON LAW ENFORCEMNT AGENCIES: In fact, this is the chief cause of jungle justice in Nigeria. Irate mobsters believe that once the suspect is taken to the police station, they would be eventually let off the hook after paying a certain amount of money. There have been reported cases of policemen helping suspect escape from cell. Notable of these is the confession by a notorious car snatcher that he paid the police #60,000 to escape from cell. This unethical and unprofessional conduct of police officers makes the public lose confidence on them, thereby encouraging jungle justice.
3. INTAKE OF DRUGS BY YOUTHS: The negative effect of drug addiction on our youths cannot be over emphasized, as it distorts their thinking faculty, they think and behave abnormal and there is every tendency of them engaging in jungle justice. An example of this instance happened on 13th April, when a young man was burnt to death for allegedly kidnaping a child. However, investigations revealed that the perpetrators were group of drug addicts and Indian hemp smokers.
4. POWER DRUNKENESS ON THE PART OF VIGILANTE GROUPS: vigilante groups had no doubt fuelled the practice of jungle justice in Nigeria. Members of these vigilante groups are quick to beat, naked and even torture suspects instead of handing them over to relevant law enforcement agents. An example of this scenario happened over the weekend in okpoga, headquarters of okpokwu local government area of Benue state when members of the vigilante group in the area arrested an armed robber, instead of handing him over to the police, they quickly set him ablaze. This led to a reprisal as other members of the gang traced, abducted and also set ablaze a member of the vigilante.
THE WAY FORWARD OUT OF THIS MENACE
1. The national orientation agency, (NOA) has a lot to do in creating awareness especially in the grassroots on the need to stop the practice. This could be done by organizing town hall meetings, seminars, engaging opinion leaders, youth leaders and traditional leaders.
2. Corrupt police officers aiding release of suspects from custody should be dismissed so as to serve as a deterrent to others and also earn public trust.
3. Periodic seminars should be organized for members of vigilante groups and police officers on human rights violations. I believe from this seminar, members of vigilante groups will now handover suspects to relevant law enforcement agencies, other than applying the barbaric method of jungle justice.
4. Perpetrators of this act should be punished accordingly; also existing laws to this effect should be strengthened to ensure stiffer punishment for violators.
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