Protesters Urge Govt To Prosecute Partakers Of Jungle Justice
As the persistence jungle justice in the Nigeria continues to take its toll on several victims, the families and associates of some victims made a quiet protest around Festac Town in Lagos State recently.
Over 50 people carrying placards walked round Festac Town for three hours protesting against the brutality suffered in the hands of angry mob by victims, which they say is a vicious violation of human rights.
It will be recalled that a seven years old boy was beaten to death in November last year in Badagry, for allegedly stealing some food items and several jungle justices have also followed suit since then.
The protesters are urging the government to curb the spate of violence, prosecute the culprits and enact laws that would guide against the re-occurrence of such brutality.
When newsmen spoke with one of the protesters, Moses Adewale, he affirmed witnessing a jungle justice where a lady was nearly beaten to death over allegation of lesbianism.
Adewale said that the incidence happened in his neighbourhood, when he was coming back from the cinema on Christmas day last year when he heard a woman screaming and crying.
“I went towards where the cry was coming from, and to my surprised, I saw about 11 men slapping and hitting a woman violently. They were calling her all sorts of terrible names like pig, dog etc. I tried to stop them but they over powered me.
“I asked one of the men what crime the woman committed; they said she was a lesbian and that she has to be dealt with. The woman was brutalised beside her own house in Festac Town while her partner managed to escape. The next day, I learnt the woman’s alleged partner of seven years and mother of three relocated to Canada,” Adewale expressed.
Over 50 people carrying placards walked round Festac Town for three hours protesting against the brutality suffered in the hands of angry mob by victims, which they say is a vicious violation of human rights.
It will be recalled that a seven years old boy was beaten to death in November last year in Badagry, for allegedly stealing some food items and several jungle justices have also followed suit since then.
The protesters are urging the government to curb the spate of violence, prosecute the culprits and enact laws that would guide against the re-occurrence of such brutality.
When newsmen spoke with one of the protesters, Moses Adewale, he affirmed witnessing a jungle justice where a lady was nearly beaten to death over allegation of lesbianism.
Adewale said that the incidence happened in his neighbourhood, when he was coming back from the cinema on Christmas day last year when he heard a woman screaming and crying.
“I went towards where the cry was coming from, and to my surprised, I saw about 11 men slapping and hitting a woman violently. They were calling her all sorts of terrible names like pig, dog etc. I tried to stop them but they over powered me.
“I asked one of the men what crime the woman committed; they said she was a lesbian and that she has to be dealt with. The woman was brutalised beside her own house in Festac Town while her partner managed to escape. The next day, I learnt the woman’s alleged partner of seven years and mother of three relocated to Canada,” Adewale expressed.
Another protester who gave his name as Uzezi Onovre, noted that his cousin was a victim of jungle justice few years ago and has a broken a limb as a result.
Onovre alleged that his 27 years old cousin was in the wrong place at the wrong time by going to watch a football match and was separating a fight, when the angry mob descended on him.
One of the leaders of the protest, Oluchukwu Ngozi stated that the recurrence of jungle justice is giving more people the guts to beat people up without thinking about the repercussion.
According to Ngozi : “I do not have any relative who had beaten up or killed by an angry mob. I just feel that the constant occurrence is scary and unfortunate. How can any group of people unleash violence on another person that they feel has done wrong. When did an angry mob become a competent court of law?”
The protesters added that it will be worthy to note that In December 2016, several cases were recorded throughout the federation leading to the deaths and sufferings of permanent disabilities by victims of jungle justice due to the level of illiteracy still prevalent in some settings.
Onovre alleged that his 27 years old cousin was in the wrong place at the wrong time by going to watch a football match and was separating a fight, when the angry mob descended on him.
One of the leaders of the protest, Oluchukwu Ngozi stated that the recurrence of jungle justice is giving more people the guts to beat people up without thinking about the repercussion.
According to Ngozi : “I do not have any relative who had beaten up or killed by an angry mob. I just feel that the constant occurrence is scary and unfortunate. How can any group of people unleash violence on another person that they feel has done wrong. When did an angry mob become a competent court of law?”
The protesters added that it will be worthy to note that In December 2016, several cases were recorded throughout the federation leading to the deaths and sufferings of permanent disabilities by victims of jungle justice due to the level of illiteracy still prevalent in some settings.
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