The Senate has condemned the alleged lynching of a 7 year old boy by a mob in the Orile area of Lagos State, over alleged stealing of cassava flakes (more popularly known as “garri”). Since the video of the killing went viral on social media, there have been conflicting reports over the age of the boy, the item he purportedly stole and even the authenticity of the reports as the Lagos State Police Command claims that there is no evidence before it to suggest that such incident occurred.
Moving the motion titled “Condemning the Rising Cases of Jungle Justice in the Country’’ at its plenary sitting on Tuesday, 22nd November, 2016, Sen. Gbenga Ashafa (APC:Lagos) highlighted the steady rise of mobs inflicting “jungle justice” on perpetrators of crime without recourse to law enforcement agents or the courts. Senator Ashafa also stated that the purported lynching of the 7 year old boy who was brutally beaten and burnt to death was not a singular incident and recounted instances where persons had been killed by mobs who took laws into their hands. According to him, such actions were unlawful and in breach of section 33 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) which guarantees the right to life of every citizen except in accordance with the rule of law.
Commenting on the motion, Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDP:Abia) was of the view that the mob action was as a result of institutional failure and indicated that citizens had lost confidence in the ability of security agencies to defend and secure their lives and property.
The Senate agreed to:
- Urged the Nigerian Police to immediately confirm or deny the occurrence of the recent purported mob action in Lagos State and other States;
- Urged the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to accelerate the passage of the Anti-Jungle Justice Bill before it; and
- Urged the Attorney General of the Federation, the States Attorney Generals and the Police to show a greater sense of duty in the diligent apprehension and prosecution of offenders.
