By Bayo Akinlade
DSN received several posts regarding the lady in the Maroko Police Cell and we were asked to look into it and investigate it’s authenticity.
I was confident that the NBA Lagos Branch Human Rights Committee, headed by the Vice Chair of the Branch would act on the issue and report back and she did.
I have considered the report of the NBA Vice Chair, I have watched a followup video of the woman who allegedly made the viral video thanking the police for assisting her even though it was the same police that put her in the worrisome position in the first place and finally, I have considered the excuse given by the police themselves through its PPRO.
I will not engage on who is right or who is wrong but the following is clear and these questions should be asked;
- Can the police arrest people on the streets without following due process?
- The Administration of criminal justice Law of Lagos State prescribes conditions and circumstances for arrests…were these conditions followed strictly by the arresting officers?
- Recently, the Nigerian police has been going around arresting people and accusing them of wandering…is wandering an offense because I am begining to wonder now
- Is the Police station in Maroko supposed to look like a den for miscreants?
- Where there no chairs for these people to sit on that we saw them on the floor?
- There is no report that anyone of those in the video were actually committing a crime at the time of arrest
I have concerns which are yet to be addressed by the police and the Attorney General of Lagos State. Let me be clear, we have received credible reports that the Nigerian police is raiding citizens and extorting them and their families for money. It is a fact that this is going on with the full knowledge of the government and the Judiciary at the mobile courts, otherwise why have we continued to see great numbers of poor people and even others at police cells with the word “wandering” on the crime boards.
We continue to sweep the dirt under the carpet but one day the carpet won’t be able to hide the dirt.
The police should desist from indiscriminate arrest and detention in Lagos State or anywhere else in Nigeria for that matter. Nigeria is not a police state, we are free to conduct our lawful business at anytime of the day and night and it is our right to have the police protect us and not arrest us while going about our lawful human endeavors.
Bayo Akinlade is Convener, Duty Solicitors Network
