A Lagos-based lawyer and founder of Access to Justice, Joseph Otteh has decried spate of extra-judicial killings and rights violations in the country.
Otteh, a development lawyer, has therefore advocated needs for a right policy framework buoyed in politically driven reforms as a way out.
Speaking exclusively to Blueprint Judiciary, Otteh who reiterated faster level improvement on the way law enforcement institutions operate further stressed that the government must care about the lives and dignity of its people.
He explained that lack of reforms in some of these institutions will become a major drawback and the country’s criminal justice pattern will remain largely unreconstructed.
His words: “Only a few days ago, we heard of armed security agencies shooting live bullets at unarmed members of a religious faith who were just carrying out a procession.
“Where in the world does that still happen? And the government has not lifted a finger to ask questions.
“The United Kingdom is right now in a turmoil because a police officer was involved in the killing of an unarmed woman and people who hold positions similar to ministers are coming out to make public statements, establishing commission of enquiry over the death of one person and we are here killing people arbitrarily with live bullets without anyone from the government circle coming up with a statement,”
Otteh expressed disappointment that the current administration indulged in the culture of abuse found within security and law enforcement institutions in the country, saying it has helped to foster a culture of impunity, invincibility and lack of accountability in the system.
“Today, we still have violations of rights of crime suspects, arbitrary arrest, extra-judicial killings, impunity and summary execution and so on.
“So, lack of progress in reforming law enforcement institutions will remain a major clog in the wheel unless it is addressed so that objectives of justice sector reform can come to realization,” Otteh noted further.
Going forward, Otteh advocated identified security agencies as vehicle for carrying out any reforms, adding: “If they themselves are not reformed, it would just be like putting new wine in old kegs and it is not going to produce something good.”
