JUNGLE JUSTICE : A VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT TO DIGNITY OF HUMAN PERSON

As our society gradually loses sanity, people are taking the law into their own hands. I have watched with dismay, horrific,disturbing videos of mob justice. Several times, I have seen the remains of people who were burned to death by angry mobs; what was once flesh and bone becoming charcoal on the streets. Sadly, innocent people have suffered this fate too. 

Jungle justice is a form of mob rule in which people take the law into their hands and punish alleged offenders for perceived heinous crimes. Most times, it leads to extra-judicial killing. Therefore, victims are deprived of their right to dignity of the human person and most times, their right to life.

The use of jungle justice by Nigerians to punish those who allegedly commit crimes is a reflection of the sad state of the country. An average Nigerian is angry and irritated. People have lost confidence in the criminal justice administration system; they believe that the moment the suspects are handed over to the police, our dear police force will take bribe from the suspects and let them go without prosecuting them. The same criminals will hit the streets again and do worse. It is safe to say that the problem is with the system because a government that fails to uphold fairness, justice and equity will definitely give room for lawlessness.

However, there is no justification for stripping naked, burning or stoning anyone to death. Jungle justice is anything but just. What happens when the accused is innocent? Every person accused of committing a crime is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of law. I know many people who have read my last sentence will say “akuko!” I understand that the system has twisted our minds so bad, we need a reorientation. It’s not our fault. But we will be fine.

The heart shattering story of Alu 4 can never be forgotten. In October 2012, innocent, vibrant young men- Ugonna Obuzor, Tekena Elkanah,Chiadika Biringa and Lloyd Toku- were beaten up and burned to death by people who did not even care to ask questions before setting them ablaze. Those boys were innocent. You cannot imagine the pain their families have been through, and they probably have not healed. So tell me, where is the justice?

In 2019, a young lady was reportedly attacked by a mob in Benin city. Alleging that she stole a phone, they stripped her naked and inserted pepper in her private part. Unbelievable! They went ahead to make a video of the act and uploaded it on social media to the disgust of many who watched the clip. Even if she was charged to court, her sentence would be nothing like what she went through in the hands of those people. What if she did not steal the phone? You see the wickedness?

In November 2016, a horrifying video showing a child being savagely beaten by an angry mob before he was burned to death was circulated on the internet. He was a child! What happened to handing him over to the police? Human beings endowed with conscience tied up a child, beat him up and set him ablaze. 

The barbaric stories are endless. And even when the culprits are arrested, tried and convicted, the damage cannot be fixed. 

Nigeria and Cameroon are said to have the highest rate of mob justice in Africa. That’s the sad reality we have been living with. Sometimes, the police stand by and allow the people have their way. These are people who are supposed to help maintain law an order. I wonder where we are headed.

Has jungle justice helped check or stop crime in Nigeria or any other part of the world?

The answer is NO. Instead, it has led to severe human rights volations, which is something we all have been screaming against. Why then do you stand by and watch people destroy what is left of our society?

The government, whether dem go hear word, needs to earn the confidence of the people again by restructuring the police and every other institution charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order in the society and defending human rights.

As a people, we need to have a change of heart. I urge you to be the change you are looking for in the government and members of the society. You are not the prosecutor, neither are you the judge. Please, allow justice to take its course. Speak up against jungle justice; do not celebrate it. Treat human beings with dignity. 

STOP JUNGLE JUSTICE

What are your thoughts? Please share in the comment section. 

Comments

  1. Alice Asuquo January 8, 2021 at 7:22 AM

    Nice one!

    ReplyDelete
  2. LouisJanuary 12, 2021 at 1:20 AM

    Wonderful article but unfortunately the larger percentage of people have myopic reasoning which is the sad reality we have to deal with in our everyday life.

    ReplyDelete

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