I decided to share this after having just witnessed how an unarmed suspected thief was abused to the point where some members of the mob holding sticks, spades and hoe tried to inflict additional injuries on the suspect after he had been arrested in a community in Akure. A man holding the hoe could be heard violently rushing close and saying "Give him a mark on the head... mark him!"
For what, if I may ask?

I am Olojo Opeyemi Oluwaseun, a member of Amnesty International.

Just in case you do not know what the meaning of Jungle Justice is;
I define jungle justice as the immediate punitive and inhumane treatment served to people who are caught up in or, especially suspected of having committed, or committing a crime such as theft, blasphemy, trespass or violation of any existing laws. There could be more on the subject.

I have witnessed several cases of people across the nation who either died or received permanent physical impairments as a result of this unacceptable practice, and I am compelled to stand against this vice of its own kind that really showcases backwardness and actually brings the nation farther into the depth of the 'jungle'.

We have seen series of blasphemy related jungle justice served to several Nigerians who live in the North, a hotbed of fundamentalist Islamist practices, where nonconformists are subject to brutality. The news is awash with specific cases where alleged thieves and blasphemers have been brutalized and killed.
While there is a volume of explanations for the aggressiveness of the population including frequent cases of kidnapping, thefts, killings, summarily heightened insecurity of lives and properties, denial of justice, and the fact that the number of victims who are filled with vengeance is gaining persistent increase on daily basis, I strongly believe that resorting to mob action —often criminal by nature— is an impossible way to stop crime and it comes with far more dangerous consequences. For example, an innocent person might get killed or harmed. I think, "what if the person is an associate of mine and innocent at the same time?!".

So, I seize this opportunity to call on all concerned Nigerians who understand the importance of civility and would love to see the right worth/importance attached to human life to rise up to end jungle justice everywhere in the nation.

From my observation, I find that, actually, the cruelest things are done to victims of jungle justice especially after they have been disarmed and pose no immediate danger to those who nabbed them.
At this point, suspects, both those who are innocent and those who are guilty had already begun pleading for mercy due to overwhelming fear. But unfortunately, they often get overwhelming cruelty that leave forever physical impairments or just end their lives instead. Once again, this is unacceptable and inhumane!

While it is good for members of the community to do their part in ensuring criminals are held, people should refrain from actions that can lead to very dangerous and even deadly outcomes.
The law of the federation accords the highest sense of importance to the dignity of human life regardless of the several instances where that has been violated. And, if nothing else, the same law states that a suspect is innocent until proven otherwise in the court of law, and based on this, I believe and I recommend that members of the public should exercise the minimum expected restraint and avoid exceeding reasonable bounds while holding suspected criminals responsible.

Let all good Nigerians desist from crime, and also from the crime of taking part in jungle justice.


#JungleJustice #MobAction

Be free to share this post and contribute to mass orientation on the danger of jungle justice.

Ok

OCompatriot:

A man holding the hoe could be heard violently rushing close and saying "Give him a mark on the head... mark him!"
For what, if I may ask?

It's wrong to kill a man for what he says or said, this blasphemy hadith has no place in this modern world, it is barbaric. I will support you on this

But please advise your fellow amnesty to desist from disparaging our military, when they want to protect Nigerians against terrorists, like Iswap, Boko Haram, and ipob. Please respect our territorial integrity, don't criticize our military, they are the most proffesional in the world.

creativehubb:
It's wrong to kill a man for what he says or said, this blasphemy hadith has no place in this modern world, it is barbaric. I will support you on this

But please advise your fellow amnesty to desist from disparaging our military, when they want to protect Nigerians against terrorists, like Iswap, Boko Haram, and ipob. Please respect our territorial integrity, don't criticize our military, they are the most proffesional in the world.

Boko Haram is a terrorist org as far as Nigeria and the human world is concerned.
I'm so concerned that Nigeria has consistently turned the blind eye to religious extremism to the point that those who perpetuate their terror in broad day light without declaring openly their allegiance to Boko Haram have been defended and protected by advocates of extremism, and Nigeria has been silent.
Also, there are states where the rights and freedoms spelt out in the Nigerian constitution are openly violated in the name of observance of extremist customary and religious laws, which ideally ought to be subject to the federal law.