Femi Falana, the human rights lawyer, says the best tribute
lawyers can pay to Bolanle Raheem is to mobilise Nigerians against police
brutality.
Falana said the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) must ensure
that Raheem did not die in vain like other victims of police brutality.
Last Sunday, Raheem was allegedly shot dead by Drambi Vandi,
an assistant superintendent of police.
The deceased was returning home from a Christmas outing with
her family when the shooting incident occurred at the Ajah axis of Lagos.
The incident has sparked widespread criticism, and Vandi has
been suspended and is currently in detention.
On Friday, he was charged to court over the unlawful killing
of Raheem and remanded in Ikoyi correctional centre pending legal advice.
‘NBA SHOULD COMPEL
FG, STATES TO IMPLEMENT REPORTS OF #ENDSARS PANELS’
Falana, in a legal opinion, asked the NBA to compel the
federal and state governments to implement the recommendations of the #EndSARS
panels in order to address issues of police brutality.
The human rights lawyer suggested that the use of arms by
police officers in the country should be “strictly regulated”.
“Nigerian lawyers must ensure that Mrs Bolanle Raheem does
not die in vain like others who were dispatched to their untimely grave before
her,” Falana wrote.
“Indeed, the best tribute that the NBA can pay to the
deceased is to use her cold-blooded murder to mobilise the Nigerian people to
end police brutality in Nigeria.
“To start with, police checkpoints must be removed from
Nigerian roads. The roads should be patrolled by combined teams of officers
from the police and road safety commission.
“The use of arms by policemen on duty should be strictly
regulated according to the service rules. Non-lethal options such as batons,
tear gas, water etc should be employed in dispersing crowds.
“The Anti-Torture Act of 2017 prescribes that any police
officer or law enforcement officer who subjects a citizen to torture is liable
to be tried and if convicted to imprisonment for 25 years.
” If any person dies as a result of torture the police
officer indicted is liable to be tried for murder. The NBA should direct its
human rights committees to take up all cases of torture meted out to citizens
by public and private individuals in the society.
“The NBA should
prevail on the federal government and state governments to publish the reports
and implement the recommendations of the judicial panels.
“Otherwise, the NBA should adopt legal measures to compel
the governments to implement the recommendations.
“Furthermore, the NBA
should mount pressure on state governments to enact laws for the establishment
of human rights bodies for the purpose of protecting the human rights of
citizens.
“This was the principal resolution adopted by the National
Economic Council after the #EndSARS protests.
“As a matter of
urgency, the NBA should ensure that a legal practitioner is assigned to every
police station to monitor human rights compliance in accordance with section 66
(3) of the Police Establishment Act 2020.
“The human rights committees of the 128 branches of the NBA
should liaise with the National Human Rights Commission and the Legal Aid
Council to ensure the observance of human rights in the country.
“The NBA should
collaborate with state attorneys-general towards the successful prosecution of
police and military personnel who engage in the extrajudicial killing of
criminal suspects and other citizens.
“At the same time, the unlawful killing of police officers
by military officers and criminal gangs should always be challenged by Nigerian
lawyers.
“The NBA should liaise with the police and military
authorities to ensure that the human rights course is made a compulsory subject
in all police colleges and military academic institutions.
“This is the best way to ensure that members of the police
and armed forces recognise their constitutional responsibilities to protect the
life and property of every citizen.
“Finally, it is submitted that unless the above suggestions
are implemented by the relevant stakeholders in alliance with the Nigerian
people the callous killing of Mrs Bolanle Raheem will only be an addition to
the long list of Nigerians that have been killed so recklessly by security
forces and it will be enormously tragic for the society.”
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