Lagos Lawmaker, others condemns jungle justice

Barely few days after two spots along Lagos/Abeokuta Expressway were allegedly uncovered as kidnap den and two suspected kidnappers were lynched and burnt, a clear cut jungle justice, more suspects have been apprehended all around the state.

Just yesterday in three different areas namely Alagbado, Ipaja and Alimosho, suspects discovered to be  connected to the kidnap network were again apprehended.

In Alagbado the suspect was said to have been caught with many phones,though feigning insanity,he was lynched immediately by irate youths who felt he could be another kidnapper on prowl,but for the late intervention of the security personnel for the suspects would have been killed or burnt.

Another incident also happened at NEPA Bus-Stop,close Atan Kekere in Ayobo-Ipaja Local Council Development Area, One Mr. Waheed Ode, Mrs. Etiba(Iya Funke) and the youths who were at the scene of the ugly trend gave eye witness account, stating that a woman who for long posed as a mad woman tucked away in a bushy part of the area was caught by vigilant passersby weilding five functional phones, ATM cards and items likely belonging to victims, it took the quick intervention of the Ipaja Police Division Station who whisked her away from angry mob already spoiling to deal with her.

The case was not different at Alimosho road via Iyana Ipaja in Alimosho Local Government,a man who disguised as a woman was also accosted,while a Police man was said to have prevented the lynching of a man at Gowon Police Division in lagos State.

Following the prevalence of the attendant jungle justice recorded across the state, the Lagos State Police Command through the Commissioner of Police,  Mr. Fatai Owoseni has chided residents to desist from the act, citing the competence of the law courts to pronounce a person convicted and mete on them adequate punishment and that jungle justice most times whittles the strength of their investigation.

The Lagos State Lawmaker representing Ifako Ijaiye 2 Constituency, Hon. Rasheed Makinde has refuted the news making the rounds that a kidnappers den was discovered in his constituency.

Makinde made the disclosure Friday, while on an on-spot assessment of the alleged scene of the Tuesday incident.

The Town Planner turned lawmaker who was not around when the sad event occur condemned the act tantamount to jungle justice which was the eventual fallout of the strange discovery, he urged populace to relate information to security agencies for proper management of public peace.

The Chairman of Ojokoro Local Council Development Area, Hon. Hammed Idowu D. Tijani (H.I.D) while speaking with news men said, he wants the people to remain calm and not for any reason take laws into their hands. As he said, security operatives will take necessary action to bring the situation to normalcy.

ALSO SEE: Police warn Lagos residents to desist from jungle justice

Hon. Tijani also condemn in strong term jungle justice melted on those who were traced to the tunnel, as he urged residence to allow the police and other security operatives to get to the root of the gory occurrence.

Also contributing on the unfolding scenario of this social malaise, the Hon. Moshood Salvador led Peoples’ Democratic Party’s Public Relation Officer in Lagos, Barr. Gani Taofeek, stated his distaste for the ugly incident, calling on government and the security apparatus to be more alive to the constitutional duties.

“The security operators must be alive to their responsibility by proactively taking steps to reduce all beggars and mentally deranged people to the bearest minimum, jungle justice should also be curbed, water channels constructions should be have strong wires preventing access into them now that it is seen as a good hideout for low lives, government should be more proactive in handling of such sudden matters and prosecute such to a conclusive end.” Gani reiterated.

However the Assistant Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Mr Abiodun Salami, blamed bad  government of time past as the root cause of evils recorded in the state.

“These is an effect of bad governance of the former government at the federal level, but our security agencies are doing the needful already, they have good synergy with strong intelligent networks and they are not letting down their garbs as they are all working round the metropolis, investigating the and unravelling more spots.

Commenting on the increasing spate of jungle justice, Salami harps on the capabilities of the law courts to convict offenders and not for the publics to take laws in their hands.

“It is unfair that people are taking to jungle justice, courts are there to give judgement, so we as a party are averse to jungle justice”.

Meanwhile, government needs to go a long way in curbing youth restiveness in other to curtail future occurrence of kidnapping and jungle justice in Lagos state.