• Hausa Edition
  • Podcast
  • Conferences
  • LeVogue Magazine
  • Business News
  • Print Advert Rates
  • Online Advert Rates
  • Contact Us
Wednesday, June 4, 2025
Leadership Newspapers
Read in Hausa
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Leadership Newspapers
No Result
View All Result

Avoiding Extra-judicial Killings

by Editorial
1 year ago
in Editorial
Share on WhatsAppShare on FacebookShare on XTelegram

Recently, shop owners, shoppers, commuters and even security personnel scampered for safety as an angry mob went amok at the popular Wuse market, of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), burning cars and shops indiscriminately, displaying what they felt was justified anger over the killing, by security operatives, of a hapless hawker.

Advertisement

By the time a reinforcement of well-armed security personnel arrived the scene, the damage had been done. Innocent shop owners and traders have been left stranded, to bear the loss of burnt cars and shops for a crime they knew nothing about.

The reason for the rage, utterly misplaced and irresponsible, in our view, was, however, all too familiar. It was ignited by the mindless killing of a hawker by a trigger-happy security operative, this time, an operative of the Nigerian Correctional Service.

As the story goes, an eyewitness said a hawker, arrested in the market vicinity and tried in a mobile court, attempted to escape punishment, but was shot and killed by a Warden. That avoidable killing caused a section of the market, specifically the car park at the northern side of the entrance, to be set aflame by an irate mob that was out to avenge the untimely death of that anonymous hawker. The Police has since confirmed this narrative.

The timely response by the Police to a distress call was not enough to prevent the needless disaster. But they were able to barricade the entrance to prevent movement into the market just as they shot sporadically and fired tear gas to disperse the mob.

RELATED

Nigeria And Fragmented ECOWAS

ECOWAS At 50: Resetting West Africa’s Growth Agenda

6 hours ago
Flood: We Lost 200 Lives, 1000  Still Missing – Niger Govt

Niger Floods: Between Preparedness And Disaster

1 day ago

RELATED: Wuse Market Shut After Riot, Fire Outbreak

Sadly, killings like the one that sparked the Wuse market inferno are not new in Nigeria. We recall the senseless killing of the pregnant female lawyer in Lagos State. Also, the EndSars movement remains a major signpost in the quest to stop these extrajudicial killings. Years after these very sad incidents and more, some of those entrusted to protect lives are yet to understand the sacredness of their responsibility. They have, for whatever reason, continued to display this sadistic behavior.

The inexplicable tendency on the part of men and women in uniform to apply maximum force in matters that are essentially civil, have become a real cause for concern. There have been calls for a reorientation of these security officers on how to manage situations that involve unarmed civilians. In some serious cases, like the one under review, it has become pertinent to insist on the reassessment of their psychological and emotional status. 

We understand that the job of protecting lives, property and keeping the peace isn’t easy, especially in a clime where poor governance seems to contribute immensely to making resort to crime a viable option. But must human life be wasted so recklessly in the process?

Similarly, we empathize with the service men and women who feel that effecting rewards for years of patriotic service is a struggle. There is, also, no doubt that functioning in a frustrating socio-economic environment in a country like Nigeria, isn’t just hard, it drains one emotionally, physically and psychologically. Still, it is important for them to realize what they signed up to do, that is to say, serving the public, requires a lot of sacrifice to remain humane and dedicated.  

Nevertheless, nothing justifies the killing of those the security operatives swore to protect. The peculiarity of this job, considering the bearing of firearms, requires a robust mindfulness that encapsulates the ideals of service to humanity.

As a newspaper, we call upon the security hierarchy to revisit the psychological evaluation of the men in uniform across board. The soundness of their mental health is as important as the quality of service required of them.

Also, the recruitment process should be revisited. Yes, there has been clamour for increasing the number of the security operatives, rightly so. We, however, urge that the screening process should be as thorough as possible.

Besides the physical requirements, to be drafted into the service, establishing passion on the part of the recruits and interrogating their state of mind to ensure mental balance, is essential. It is high time we moved beyond making security platforms an all-comers affair. We should look beyond the mere quest to justify a quota system and establish a fundamental basis for recruiting persons who would occupy these sensitive positions. This task must not be left to the whims and caprices of politically- exposed persons or other mundane circumstances.

It is also imperative to review the welfare of the security personnel so as to improve it. This much cannot be emphasized enough. For decades the poor welfare system, especially for the rank and file, has been a major crisis ignored. This must be looked into urgently. We cannot afford to have overly frustrated legitimate arm-bearing persons turning their weapons on those they are meant to protect.

But all of this advocacy for the welfare of uniformed personnel would make sense when all men and women in uniform act in accordance with the oath they swore to.

 


We’ve got the edge. Get real-time reports, breaking scoops, and exclusive angles delivered straight to your phone. Don’t settle for stale news. Join LEADERSHIP NEWS on WhatsApp for 24/7 updates →

Join Our WhatsApp Channel



SendShareTweetShare
Previous Post

Sanwo-Olu, Anyaoku, Adebanjo, Others Clamour For New Constitution

Next Post

Perform Or Be Sacked, Wike Tells FCTA Perm Secs

Editorial

Editorial

You May Like

Nigeria And Fragmented ECOWAS
Editorial

ECOWAS At 50: Resetting West Africa’s Growth Agenda

2025/06/04
Flood: We Lost 200 Lives, 1000  Still Missing – Niger Govt
Editorial

Niger Floods: Between Preparedness And Disaster

2025/06/03
NASS
Editorial

The National Assembly Nigerians Want

2025/06/02
Hoodlums Kill 2 Vigilantes In Anambra Night Club
Editorial

Police Measly Running Cost

2025/06/01
nigeria
Editorial

Nigeria And The Hunger Crisis

2025/05/31
Analyst Hails Senate Over Passage Of Tax Reform Bills
Editorial

No To Fresh Loans

2025/05/30
Leadership Conference advertisement

LATEST

Niger-South Stakeholders Donate N3m To Mokwa Flood Victims 

Health Competition: Students Champion Campaign Against Malaria

Residents Demand Inclusive Access To Abia Medical City

Recapitalisation: 3m Job Losses Looms As 1,500 BDCs Fail Deadline

With $4bn Market Size, Nigeria’s Islamic Finance Industry To Surge In H2 – Fitch

FIRS Entering New Era Of Excellence, Trust – Adedeji

Customs Intercepts Bullet Proof Vests, Tokunbo Vehicles, Others Worth N1.2bn

NDIC Calls For Inputs To IADI Core Principles For Effective Deposit Insurance

N250bn Debt Dispute: NCC Shifts USSD Billing To Customers’ Airtime

Mandilas Highlights Economic Milestones At 75th Anniversary

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Politics
  • Business
  • Sport
  • Health
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
    • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Football
  • Others
    • LeVogue Magazine
    • Conferences
    • National Economy
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Leadership Media Group - All Rights Reserved.