By Anietie Akpan
The Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission of Akwa Ibom State (EARCOM), has again condemned the rise in jungle justice across Nigeria, warning that it is barbaric, inhuman, and holds dire implications for public safety and national stability.
Reacting to the recent public lynching of 16 persons in Uromi, Edo State, the Chairman of EARCOM, Dr Dorothy Thompson described the gory incident which she observed happens repeatedly across the country as “a dangerous trend which undermines the rule of law and human rights”.
In a statement from the Earcom Media Unit, made available to some newsmen on April 1, Dr Thompson argued that “the major issue with mob justice is the likelihood of making innocent persons victims on mere suspicion or allegations”, adding that, “where citizens take the law into their hands to punish alleged offenders, commonsense and humanity take flight with the mob behaving like wild beasts baying for blood”.
She expressed concern on the increasing cases of jungle justice visited on persons accused of crimes like theft, kidnapping, and human trafficking among others, maintaining that while these social vices are condemnable, the due process of the law should be followed beginning with handing suspects over to the security agencies.
The EARCOM boss stressed that “resorting to extreme violence and lynching someone for an alleged crime is not justice but murder, which is punishable under the law as it violates the constitutional right to life, specified in Section 315 of the Criminal Code, which states that anyone who unlawfully kills another is guilty of murder”.
She tasked religious, traditional and political leaders to sensitise their subjects on the grave nature of jungle justice and charged citizens to prevent such occurrences wherever they could.
Dr Thompson expressed her sympathy for the families of the unfortunate victims and prayed for the peaceful repose of their souls.
