Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, last week spoke out against the disturbing jungle justice playing out and is fast becoming a way of life nationwide.
The rate at which people are being tortured, mobbed or lynched at the slightest provocation is alarming and makes me fret.
No one cares whether the victims are guilty or not, and that in the mob actions that lead to such persons being killed, there may not be room for them to tell their story.
Anybody can be a victim depending on where one is at any point in time and the mood of people around. Before you realise what is happening you are a goner.
We were fed with the story of two ladies who were stripped, tortured and blended pepper poured into their private parts by men believed to be members of the Odua Peoples Congress (OPC) in the Ejigbo area of Lagos for allegedly stealing pepper.
Though the incident took place in 2013, it was only early this year it came to the open, with the report one of the girls had died.
The situation is as ridiculous as it is barbaric, and shows how debased our society has become, notwithstanding that we pride ourselves as belonging to the jet age.
No day passes in Lagos and elsewhere in the country without one being confronted with the gory tale of a man or woman, in most cases youths, being lynched.
We have long forgotten the incident of the Alo Four, in which four undergraduates of the University of Port Harcourt were paraded, beaten, tortured and set ablaze in the Choba area in October 2012.
An innocent person was reportedly beaten to death recently in Ajelogo in Mile 12, Lagos. A woman reportedly raised a false alarm about him, and before you say Jack Robinson, the victim lay dead.
Every segment of society is feeling the impact of this new way of life.
Following the discovery of the evil forest in Ibadan last month, a man who was caught two days after, and alleged to kill his victims and cut their tongues for rituals was almost lynched.
Jungle justice has become part of the diet of Lagosians, nay Nigerians. Among members of the public one can conjecture being involved in this animalistic behaviour are street urchins (also known as area boys), motor cycle operators (okada operators) and OPC members.
The police are traditional suspects in extra-judicial killings. There is no difference between what they do and what those who carry out jungle justice do.
It is reassuring hearing Fashola warning that perpetrators of jungle justice in the state wil be apprehended and prosecuted
“The government totally condemns these attacks as the suspects could easily be wrongly accused.
“Even if they did commit the alleged offences, there is a process for prosecuting and showing evidence in court so that proven criminals can be properly punished according to law,” Fashola said through his Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Ade Ipaye.
Fashola also advised people to report such cases or hand over the suspect(s) to law enforcement agencies.
“Kidnapping and other criminal acts are condemnable. It is equally unacceptable for citizens to take laws into their own hands by summarily punishing or killing those suspected of any criminal act.
The mob may well be wrong and the helpless victim(s) may be anyone’s child or relative,” he added.
However, it is not enough for Fashola to warn about jungle justice, the time is now to strengthen the agencies of the criminal justice system in line with his plan to go after the perpetrators.
People act the way they do either out of ignorance or due to a lack of trust in the judicial system.
Take for instance these views by two Lagosians who reacted to Fashola’s warning. One said: “Kidnapping is happening everywhere and if there is concrete evidence that the person is a kidnapper, I support that the person should be burnt to death because a lot of lives must have been wasted by him or her.”
The other said: “Fashola, please do not go that way. It is just like those who kidnapped girls in Chibok. If any of them is seen, would somebody kick against jungle justice? No. “A killer must be killed instantly. Those who kidnap may be doing it for two reasons – ransom or ritual, so why spare such persons if the police will collect bribe and release him?”
Writing on Civic Education and Ethical Revolution in Nigeria, Fidel Agu, noted: “The need to re-engineer the process of inculcating civic education in our primary and secondary schools has become very obvious in the face of fast dwindling national consciousness, social harmony and patriotic zeal.
“As far back as the 1980s, it became painfully evident that the lack of civic education and patriotic orientation had led to disorientation in schools and the larger society. The consequences were being felt at all strata of our society.
“That was probably why the Political Bureau set up by the Babangida administration recommended, in March 1987, the establishment of a Directorate for Social Mobilisation (MAMSER) which eventually transformed into the National Orientation Agency (NOA).
“Events of the recent past have indicated that Nigeria is facing the threat of losing its much cherished sense of nationhood, cultural identity and indeed, hospitable spirit.”
Over the years there has been a disconnection from ethical norms because of our penchant for quick fixes to solve problems that require painstaking, methodical strategy.
Take the OPC and other vigilantes. As laudable as the idea may be to enforce the law in their communities, what level of education and sensitisation do they have? Do they know what human rights are and can they interpret the section of constitution on human rights, arrest and prosecution of suspects?
The seed of the jungle justice Nigeria is reaping today was sowed years back when we assembled uninformed persons and told them that lawlessness and impunity is the only way to tackle antithetical acts.
It did not occur to us that most of them have the propensity for violence and wickedness and only needed a platform to act true to type.
The prevalence of corruption, rape, armed robbery, kidnapping, indiscipline, disrespect for both elders and the rule of law, provide the fillip for kangaroo justice.
We need to re-examine our orientation because of the far reaching effect it may have on national development. Schools and the NOA have a lot of work to do. Else, we are wasting our time.
