Trial Of Minors Over Protest: Right Group Demands Immediate Resignation Of IGP, Others

Posted by Ignatius Okpara Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Sunday, November 3rd, 2024

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – A human rights group, Civil Rights Realisation and Advancement Network (CRRAN), has condemned the unlawful detention and alleged torture for 3 months of some kids arrested over protest against bad governance in Nigeria.

The group thus demanded immediate resignation or sack of the Nation’s inspector General of police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun.

It said the action constituted a grave Rights violation, a terrible attack on the “UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC)” an International instrument which was adopted by the United Nations in 1989, and which Nigeria is a signatory to.

According to the organization, “It should be clearly stated that this egregious act by the Police is also an assault on the Constitution of the Federal Republic and a monstrous attack on the “Child Rights Act 2003”.

“This type of grave right violation has never been witnessed in this country even during the Military Regime therefore, we demand the immediate resignation of the Inspector General of Police and ACP Simon Lough, the Head of the Legal Department of Nigeria Police, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) “for that matter.

In a statement signed by its president, Barrister Olu Omotayo, and made available to newsmen on Saturday in Enugu, the group expressed dismay that such a high level law officer could “superintend the unlawful detention and arraignment of these Nigerian children.

“The Nigeria Police Council (NPC) which comprised of the President, all States Governors, the Chairman Police Commission and the Inspector General of Police, should convene immediately and advise for the immediate removal of the Inspector General Police from office and save this country from the shame this ignominious act has brought upon this nation.

“We are shocked that the Nigerian Police at the highest level could be associated with such an unspeakable professional blunder.

“This incident brings to the fore the issue that the “Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA)” is not working at all, if not these children would not have been in unlawful detention for three months if the FCT Judiciary had complied with Section 34 of the ACJA, which requires magistrates to inspect police stations and other detention facilities at least once a month.

“So the Chief Justice of Nigeria also has a role to play because if the Magistrates in FCT have done what is required of them this will not happen.

“Furthermore, it is disheartening that the Learned trial Judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, who remanded the children failed to suo motu raise the issue of grave rights violations involved in the matter.

“We urge the Nigeria Police Council (NPC), to live up to its constitutional role and save this country from finally descending to a failed state.

“We Demand of the Federal Government an immediate unconditional release of these innocent children to their respective state government for onward hand over to the poor parents.

The group also demanded the “payment of N30 million compensation to each child and his family for having subjected each of these children to physical and psychological torture at their detention cells at the Police Headquarters Abuja, in the past three months.

“We submit that Nigeria should move along with a comity of decent nations of the world and this type of barbarity should never again be allowed in this country under any guise whatsoever.