At this stage, it is my considered opinion that no officer of the police force is likely going to be punished for abusing or brutalizing citizens.
―Ebuka Onyekwelu
The ongoing hearing on police brutality at the various states of the federation is nothing profound or in the least, significant, for the simple reason that it is increasing difficult to exonerate Nigeria from various forms of violations suffered by its citizens. Much so to the extent that while the panel of inquiry is going on, the Nigeria Army has continued to deny against common sense and overwhelming evidence, that it murdered its own citizens in a peaceful protest at Lekki Tollgate exactly a month ago. Nigeria Army has continued to re-event its own narrative and also has continued to change same at will, with such ease and audacity that leaves one bemused. At some point, one begins to wonder if the people murdered at Lekki Tollgate a month ago, were deadly terrorists or some aliens, and not young, responsible citizens of Nigeria who were well within their own rights to protest as would be expected in a democracy.
A very closer look at these events speaks elegantly to the fact that Nigeria does not know how to pretend or cover up its vulgarity against its own law abiding citizens. There is no shame, no remorse whatsoever, apparently in the states’ perpetual willful murder of innocent citizens. Yet, a report has emerged that Nigeria Army vowed to treat any protest anywhere in Nigeria with the same measure it treated the Lekki Tollgate protesters. There are hardly enough words to succinctly describe Nigeria’s troubling posturing and the deployment of excessive force on innocent dissenting citizens at the least provocation or for no reason at all. In contrast, the irony however, is that Nigeria is trapped in a war against insurgents, kidnappers, bandits and terrorists, howbeit, that this aggression on innocent citizens are not vented on these enemies of the state to extinguish them at once? Why this has yet not happened remains a puzzle to critical observers.
An appreciation of the facts and Nigeria’s praxis leaves one certainly in doubt of the efficacy or even the need of the judicial panel on police brutality. In the first instance, we have governors who are furnished with security reports every other day and they are detailed and fully aware of any abuse and serious altercation between security personnel and citizens. Yet, they did nothing until the #EndSars campaign took a turn for the worst. This is unsettling. More so, the thought that Nigerian authorities are often nonchalant over issues of public wellbeing, till agitations by innocent citizens who are pushed to the wall by the suffocating system, forces the authorities to at least do something, is telling. The government of Nigeria has been consistent in the manner it reacts to issues of public concern.
The government of Nigeria has been consistent in the manner it reacts to issues of public concern.
This judicial panel in so many ways is comparable to the National conferences that have been convoked in Nigeria since 1999 and indeed, comparable to any other government effort towards addressing any issue of public interest. Talking about the National Conferences, what has Nigeria achieved with them? Has there been justice in the distribution of resources in Nigeria? Are Nigerians now satisfied with the structure of our federalism? Again, the amnesty programme for the Niger Delta militants, has Ogoni and the other parts of Niger Delta been cleaned up? Has Niger Delta become an oasis of civilization just like mega cities within the country?
Very likely in the same way, the judicial panel of inquiry arising from the #EndSars protest is not a means to secure justice for traumatized, abused, vandalized and murdered innocent citizens of this country by law enforcement agents. The fact is that the panel, like any other panel before it, was not setup to achieve justice. Instead, it was setup to divert attention and ‘buy time’. At best, it is a make-belief, in reality for the sole purpose of political correctness and maybe also to weaken the genuine anger of brutalized citizens, by offering them some financial compensation. Already, several hundreds of millions have been announced by particularly Anambra State and Lagos State governments towards compensation. This fits perfectly into the usual Nigeria’s modus operandi; when agitation takes serious curve and becomes a major concern to the political class, quickly create an avenue to pose as if there is ongoing effort to ensure that justice is done, but indeed, such avenues are only a chase after the wind.
The 2005 constitutional conference which was necessitated by the disruption of the economy by Niger Delta militants and the general demand for a better sharing formula, and then the 2014 National Confab, both of which served the same purpose of distraction and achieved absolutely nothing. In retrospect, we can see that those National Conferences were a gathering for past time, to get apprehensive citizens on round table and have them share in the “national cake” as a means to dounce tension and to look as if some real effort is being made towards addressing vexatious issues but in reality, these efforts are not designed to achieve justice, fairness or even restitution.
At best, some abused citizens will be ‘bribed’ or ‘paid off’ in the name of compensation so that they will go home and remain silent.
Unfortunately, the ongoing #EndSars inspired Judicial Panel of Inquiry has not shown to be any different. First of all, the state is still in denial of shooting at Lekki Tollgate protesters with live ammunitions. Only a few days ago, the Federal Government threatened to “sanction CNN” over its investigative publication that supports that the Nigeria Army actually used live ammunitions on peaceful protesters at Lekki Tollgate. And this is the government that has setup or rather supports the ongoing judicial panel of inquiry on police brutality in different states. This without further interrogation speaks to the government’s complicity in the Lekki massacre. So far, nothing we have seen suggests that this panel of inquiry will turn out differently or that their findings will be implemented or that people will find justice. At best, some abused citizens will be ‘bribed’ or ‘paid off’ in the name of compensation so that they will go home and remain silent.
At this stage, it is my considered opinion that no officer of the police force is likely going to be punished for abusing or brutalizing citizens. Already, so far, from Anambra, to Delta, to Lagos and anywhere else there is ongoing judicial panel of inquiry on police brutality, people are coming up to give heartbreaking narration of wide range abuses from the hands of police officers. For almost two weeks down the line, not a single police officer accused of brutality has appeared in any panel to be questioned. Again, it is fair to assume that perhaps, the government merely wants to know the extent of the abuses suffered by citizens to possibly use it to measure the level of ‘compensation’, for the abuses they suffered.
Each time, Nigeria has continued to show that it lacks the courage and moral strength to pursue and uphold justice as an essential ingredient for the country’s progress. Hence, the country lives in denial and thrives in political correctness. Aside these exigencies of political expedience in each of the government’s pretend fight for justice, there is nothing left. Not only that nothing currently suggests that the government is actually interested in ensuring justice for victims of police brutality, but also just last week, a vendor was killed by a security detail attached to the Speaker of House of Representatives, for no reason whatsoever. This is telling. How much worse can it possibly get.
For the time being, members of the panel in different states will continue to sit and take their sitting allowance; they will eventually make some recommendations, as expected. However, the evidence before us very strongly suggests that there will not be justice and like previous government pursuit for equity or justice in the past, nothing will be implemented. But like the amnesty granted Niger Delta militants, many of the abused citizens will be ‘paid off’ and silenced. Some beneficiaries of the compensation will be grateful to the government and this is Nigeria’s idea of justice.
♦ Ebuka Onyekwelu, strategic governance exponent, is a columnist with the WAP
- Anambra police nabs 16 cultists, declares 21 wanted - April 27, 2024
- Anambra 2025 Governorship Election Might Be an Open Contest - April 24, 2024
- Anambra Assembly Passes Bill To Prohibit Secret Cults - April 24, 2024
