Nigerian government under fire for not acting on extrajudicial murder of boy who questioned police extortion

Victor criticized police extortion, a rampant criminal act in Nigeria police force

The Federal Government has come under intense criticism for refusing to take action on the reported killing of a 20-year-old Emmanuel Victor by a police officer at a checkpoint in Yenagoa, Bayelas State recently.

Victor was shot dead after he condemned the extortion of money from motorists by the police on his way from church in company with his mother, Grace.

Two lawyers, Messrs Jiti Ogunye and Fred Agbaje, in separate telephone interviews with our correspondent on Tuesday, said the government’s decision to keep quiet on the matter had shown that Nigerian leaders lacked concern for human life.

Ogunye said, “Up till now, nothing has been said and this is very worrisome. It shows that government does not show seriousness about issues on the lives of Nigerians.

“I guess Bayelsa State now is awash with politics of who succeeds Sylva or whether Sylva is going to get the ticket for the second term.

“If that is what is reoccupying the mind of the Commissioner of Police in that state and the state governor, who is the Chief Security Officer in that state, one would have expected that the Attorney-General of the Federation or the Presidency would have intervened.”

Agbaje said it was unacceptable for President Goodluck Jonathan not to have taken any action.

He said, “The fundamental constitutional purpose of any government is to cater for the welfare and the security of lives. If the Bayelsa State Government or the Federal Government cannot execute these two fundamental constitutional responsibilities and they are talking about politics, about who becomes the next governor in the state, it is negligence of their fundamental responsibilities and it is unacceptable.”

They urged the police authorities and the FG to make sure that the police officer, who killed Victor, face justice.

Ogunye added, “If the Attorney-General of the Federation, if the Commissioner of Police, the Presidency would not intervene, the question that remains unanswered is what would make these authorities to react?”

culled from Punch