The viral video from Delta State showing the extrajudicial execution of a suspect is not just a "police matter"; it is a direct assault on our collective humanity and the Rule of Law.
As a legal practitioner and someone deeply committed to the peace and stability of our society, my heart bleeds. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is clear: every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
When a law enforcement officer decides to be the prosecutor, the judge, and the executioner all at once, they aren’t just taking a life; they are murdering the very essence of justice.
Why this matters for all of us:
- Impunity breeds more crime: If those meant to uphold the law break it with a "devil-may-care" attitude, the social contract is broken.
- A threat to the innocent: If we allow summary executions of "suspects," none of us is safe. Today it is a "robber"; tomorrow it could be any innocent citizen caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
- Professional integrity: As the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, rightly stated, these "bad eggs" must be shown the way out to save the integrity of the Nigerian Police Force.
I stand with the NBA in demanding more than just the arrest of the "main" perpetrator. Every officer who stood by, aided, abetted, or counselled this heinous act must face the full weight of the law. We cannot build a 21st-century society on 18th-century brutality.
My deepest condolences go to the family of the deceased. We will not stop pressing for accountability. Justice must not only be done; it must be seen to be done, transparently and urgently.
Stop the recklessness. Respect the Right to Life. Protect the Rule of Law.
— Clementina E. Ukiri, Esq.
(De Dominus Litis, Eminent Peace Ambassador)
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