Adewale Kupoluyi
I join others to condemn in strong terms, the barbaric and gruesome murder of a boy that was recently killed in Lagos. I was completely devastated by the report of the killing that I kept wondering why people would be so heartless to the extent that taking the life of another in such a cruel and an illegal manner would mean nothing to them!
The usual problem of getting accurate data on anything in the nation reared its ugly head, going by the various versions and conflicting accounts of what truly transpired in the boy’s case. For instance, a witness said a mob at the Alafia Bus-stop in the Orile area, Lagos had caught the boy, whose name had yet to be ascertained, accusing him of stealing a wallet and after which it was gathered that after the boy was beaten to a pulp, as the mob got a tyre and set him on fire, claiming that he came with other three accomplices, who escaped after the alleged stealing.
Another witness claimed that the deceased belonged to a robbery gang, which usually stabbed victims that refused to part with their property while a resident stated that the deceased was not even a seven-year-old boy that was burnt to death, as reported. A different narration said the victim and his gang had tried to dispossess a woman of her belongings and that the deceased was a member of a gang of notorious thieves. The young boy was said to have met his sad end after his gang allegedly tried dispossessing a woman of her belongings, including a mobile phone and in the process, he engaged in an internecine struggle with the victim for the phone and out of desperation, he allegedly brought out a dagger and stabbed the woman.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has disclosed that the said lynching of the seven-year-old boy over garri theft was untrue. A completely different account had claimed that the boy was killed because he had gone to steal some garri from his neighbour. Within the last few months, similar cases of jungle justice in the country have been worrisome and many of such occurrences may not have been officially reported.
For instance, a naval officer reportedly shot a commercial motorcyclist to death after the latter hit his vehicle at a traffic light stop in Ikeja, Lagos. Similarly, a middle-aged woman, suspected to be a kidnapper, was stripped and badly tortured before she was set ablaze by a mob in Abule Egba, Lagos. Her offence was that she was reportedly seen by residents forcing school pupils into a waiting vehicle and could, therefore, be a kidnapper.
We would not also forget so soon, the gruesome murder of four undergraduate students of the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State by a mob at Aluu on the allegation that they were armed robbers, an action that received widespread condemnation. Unfortunately, it was later found out that the slain victims were actually innocent of the offence but that their ordeal was simply as a result of the mischievous action of a debtor, who simply wanted to get rid of his creditors. From what the police are saying about the latest case, just like in that of Aluu 4, the police got to know of the attacks before they were carried out but still could not save the victims. Again, about two months ago, a suspected thief was burnt alive by an angry mob in Port Harcourt. The young man was said to have been seriously beaten before being set ablaze.
From the various analyses, jungle justice is encouraged by these factors: lack of faith in the police and the judicial system in general and in order for the people to get quick remedy from the perceived injustice meted out to them, they often result to self-help. This should not be. It is not only barbaric to engage in such an act, it completely illegal, unlawful and criminal. Secondly, people rely on jungle justice because it is faster. Passing through the process of litigation for them is slow, cumbersome and bureaucratic. Thirdly, the procedure for adjudication in Nigeria could be expensive considering what is involved and having to get the services of counsel. At times, judgments could be controversial and unacceptable to the parties.
It is instructive to state here that irrespective of the excuses given by the perpetrators of jungle justice, there is no basis or rationale for someone to take the life of another under any extra-judicial circumstances. That is the more reason why our law enforcement agents should be above board. The people should have confidence in the institutions of state to protect lives and property. It is bad to see others rejoicing and recording the misfortune of others with their camera phones and posting on the social media. Anyone could be a victim. Therefore, concerted efforts should be made by all to ensure that jungle justice stops!
