Four students of the University of Port Harcourt recently fell victim to the ancient, barbaric culture of lynching of crime suspects at Omuokiri Aluu, in Ikwere North Local Government Area of Rivers State. The victims, identified as Biringa Chiadika Lordson (Year 2, Theatre Arts), Ugonna Kelechi Obuzor (Year 2, Geology) and Mike Llyod Toku, (Year 2, Civil Engineering), and Tekena Erikena, were stripped naked, beaten and set ablaze over allegations that they were involved in serial theft of laptops and phones in the off-campus private hostels of the university.
The brazen, extra-judicial murder of this quartet by a mob allegedly led by a vigilance group in the community is a shame to Nigeria. It is also an indictment of the police, the Joint Task Force (JTF), the traditional authorities and all those charged with responsibility for security in that community. It is alarming that accused persons can be arrested and killed by a mob outside the provisions of the law. This unconscionable multiple murder is an embarrassment to the country.
The incident has greatly damaged Nigeria’s image, especially following its posting on the Internet where it went viral. The incident also led to protests from Nigerian students who stormed the area of the killings to damage cars, buildings and other property they could lay their hands on. We strongly condemn the killing of these students. It is unacceptable that people take the law into their hands and resort to delivery of jungle justice to persons suspected of wrongdoing.
The proper thing to do is to bring all suspects to the appropriate authorities such as the police, for prosecution. It is only the courts that can pronounce any suspect guilty of a crime. Ordinary members of the public cannot be accusers, prosecutors, judges and executioners at the same time. Even if the students were suspected of stealing, they should have been handed over to the police, not killed. The extra-judicial murder signals horrendous descent to anarchy in that area. No one has the right to take the life of another person, for any reason.
The Nigerian Constitution does not recognise the resort to self-help as happened in the Aluu incident. There is also no role for vigilante operators in the document. The report of the arrest of the victims in an uncompleted building does not confer on any vigilance group or mob the right to kill them. The constitution guarantees fundamental right to life and freedom of movement. This incident has highlighted the need for proper streamlining of activities of vigilance groups so that they can know their limitations.
The relish with which the baying mob killed the four boys is also worrisome. It is suggestive of a people that have lost their humanity. The killings also painted the Nigerian police, the JTF and the traditional authorities in that area in very bad light. The picture the incident communicates is that of an incompetent police and questionable security system. The authorities, apparently, did not do enough to prevent the lynching. This failure of the security agencies to protect the victims is a minus to the state and Nigeria’s quests for foreign investments.
The conduct of the mob sabotages all efforts to portray Nigeria in good light to the world. We urge the police leadership to ensure that the perpetrators of this mindless act are brought to justice. This incident is a good opportunity for the police to demonstrate that it is now reformed. What happened to the “Aluu Four” can happen to anybody in other parts of the country. Efforts must, therefore, be made to limit activities of vigilance groups in the country. They should only arrest and hand suspects over to appropriate security agencies, not prosecute or issue judgements. At most, they can function as witnesses against suspects in criminal cases.
This lynching of suspects has been going on in the country for many years now. It should be stopped by ensuring prosecution and appropriate punishment for perpetrators of such acts, beginning with those responsible for the killing of the four students. Some reports also said the students were cultists out to collect a debt owed by a member of a rival gang. It is necessary to warn students against the dangers of cultism. There is no arguing the fact that many of today’s youths are misguided.
The growing violence among young Nigerians is suggestive of the loss of moral compass of that generation. However, the failure of our leaders to harness their potentials into productive ventures in fields such as agriculture, industry and information technology, which some gifted ones now deploy to negative use in their desperation to express themselves. Government should also come up with policies that will provide enabling environment for job creation and self-actualization to keep youths out of trouble.
All youths need proper guidance. Now, they are mostly misguided. There is little intellectual fervour and ideology in students’ unionism. Some students feel they are free to play the role of policemen or debt collectors. The government, parents and tertiary institutions ought to invest in re-orientation of youths to our national values to keep them out of trouble.
We sympathise with the family of the killed students, the University of Port Harcourt and the Rivers State government on this sad incident. Above all, the killers of the students must be arrested and punished. This is the only way to ensure that incidents such as this do not recur.
The irony of the whole thing is that those who feel self righteous enough to become judge and executioner by their very act broke the laws of the same society they claim to protect. That such people exist is scary.
It is a pity this is time for every one to make peace with God flood air disaster boko haram robery etc lets turn back to God for Mercy
Cult groups have names so lets know which ones if its true and am not sure cult groups will need vigilante to take care of their rivals.The police must find the person alledge to be owing one of the four who must have been the mastermind of this dastardly act.
Is unfair everbody is criminal but if you hold self you win it may there soul rest in peace
BRITAIN WONT HELP NIGERIA OR RUSSIA AGAIN IF IT COMES TO WAR, BECAUSE OF IGBOS NIGERIA LOSE HER OIL PARTS TO CAMEROON SHAME TO THEM THE NEMESIS OF BIAFRAN WAR WILL HUNT NIGERIA UNTIL IT FALL INTO OBLIVION, THE WAR CASUALTIES, ARE NOT ONLY THOSE WHO ARE IN THE WAR FRONT BUT PEOPLE WHOA RE AFFECTED BY THE WAR ONE WAY OR THE OTHER, NIGERIA HAVE LOSE A LOT ALL BECAUSE OF BIAFRA, IS GOWON DEAD? WHY WONT GOWON SPEAK TO NIGERIA PROBLEM? HE WILL BE HUNTED FOREVER FOR WHAT HE DID TO IGBOS WITH BRITAIN AND RUSSIAN SOLDIER, DURING THE WAR BAKASSI WAS LAUGHING TO IGBOS, NOW WHO IS LAUGHING AND WHO IS CRYING, BAKKASI HAS ENTERED INTO ANOTHER STAGE OF SLAVE TRADE, HAHAHAHAHHA SHAME TO THEM ALL FOOLS NOW IS JUST YOUR MORNING….THE MORE YOU HATE IGBOS THE MORE PROBLEM YOU HAVE, THAT IS FOR SURE, IGBOS ARE DESTINED TO GOD IGBOS ARE GOD CHOSEN GENERATION, THE MORE YOU HUNT AND HATE THEM THE MORE YOU HAVE INTERNAL PROBLEM, SOON ANOTHER ONE WILL EMERGE FOR NIGERIA, WAIT AND SEE JUST BECAUSE OF IGBO’S NIGERIA LOST THEIR GREAT OIL WHALES IN BAKASI, THEY STILL HATE IGBOS, THEY MORE YOU HATE IGBO’S THE MORE PROBLEM NIGERIA FACING, THE MORE YOU HATE IGBO’S THE MORE TROUBLE IN NIGERIA, WELL GO AHEAD YOU WILL LOSE THE ENTIRELY SOUTH SOUTH TO CAMEROON OR ATLANTIC OCEAN, THROUGH EARTH QUAKE, WATCH IT,THOSE HOW LAUGH TO IGBOS WILL SURELY REAP THE PAIN SOON, ITS GRADUALLY COMMING TO THEM ALL, NIGERIA YOU SUPPORTED DURING THE WAR IS NOW 52 YEARS AND NOTHING WAS GOOD TO SHOW FOR IT NOTHING ABSOLUTELY NOTHING HAHAHAHHAAH NIGERIA, WHAT IGBOS SAW 60 YEARS AGO IS WHAT ALL OF YOU FOOLS JUST SAW NOW AND CRYING SHAME TO YOU ALL USELESS SET OF PEOPLE FOOLS IN POWER
the killers of the students must be arrested and punished. This is the only way to ensure that incidents such as this do not recur. Well said! Justice most be done.
I agree with you completely
Please the President,M inister of Defence,IG of Police you all very lazy in your offices nothing while you had been placed there. Everyday people dies like fowls imaging students being burnt for acquisations that no one knows if it they are truth. Please i call on the Nigerian forces to come and take appropriate care of campus for we are at fear everyday and i dont the rich for sending out the children outside country for studies which i so much believe that Mr President,Minister of Defence and IG Of police are much involved in
I suggest that the arrest of the killers should be done. And according to the law. Cus this awful
It as if we dont know nigerian govt,d arrested d culpits when d students protested,d will charge them to court when anoda violence erupt,after d violence d will drive in d millitry 2 maintain law n order,
Pls listing to . http://www.radiobiafralondononline.com every thursday and saturday at 9pm live
No comment.
my broda u hve said it all, but the problem is for those u are talking to for them to impliment it,LIke u said here, “”Government should also come up with policies that will provide enabling environment for job creation and self-actualization to keep youths out of trouble.”" Dnt borther urself if they like let do it if they dont let them leave them As what they SOW is what they will reap in d near future, Let them cotinue BREEDING them ( D YOUTHS ARE FREE) noting to absorbed them, every day by day, like i hve said that in this entity called 9ija D RICH WILL ALSO CRY. when d time comes, Simple.
Killing is not the best way to treat people who steal or committed offences, at least they should be punished or should be hand over to the police so that they can be punished and change for good. Every time people is being killed in our country like goat which is not good, plz my brothers and sisters we are one Nigeria. One love my follow Nigerians.
oh we have been hearing about the radio biafra with out acting or achieving any thing so as 4 me i don’t mind them any longer
A country in chaos.
The pepertrators of this crime should not only be charged 4 murder, also for denting our image, and for economic sabotage
Quite unfortunate that moral decadence in Nigeria has degenerated into serious anarchy, it is now a case of a nation under divine wrath. Life no longer matter anything to anybody. In fact it is now a shameful thing to be identified as a Nigerian among the committee of nations. I weep for Nigeria my country!!!
Those that are involve in the killing of those students, will never go unpunished.
Those involve in killing of those students, will never go unpunished.
dis jst d level of bad hearth within citizens in our country.
I strongly agree with you, those responsible 4 the killing should be brought 2 book.
This issue i think, is one most ppl have misguided notions of wat dey aim to say or think. D issue is not really nd can never be whether the students actually stole or are cultists but the way the citizens of this “modern day world” were prosecuted of an act no one even for sure knows if it’s true. Shame indeed, big shame!!!
WATCHING THE KILLING ON INTERNENT,I JUST COULDNT HOLD BACK MY TEARS….CANT BELIF WHAT I SAW….ITS SHAME ON NIGERIA SHAME ON ALU COMMUNITY SHAME ON ALL RIVER STATE INDIGINE…..THIS IS THE TIME STATE POLICE IS NEDED MORE THAN EVER………IF I HAVE A MEAN..I WILL WIPE OUT ENTIRE NIGERIA POLITICIAN AND THIER FAMILY……….IF THE COUNTRY IS BEEN RUN LIKE IT SHOULD WE WONT HAVE AGGITATED HUMAN WHO IS READY TO SPARK AT ANY MOMENT.MOST NIGERIA ARE EITHER INSANE OR POTENTIALY INSANE..THEY JUST DONT KNOW
student learn to associate urself with gud & Godly pple bcos bad companion corrupt gud attitude.
The so called traditional ruler must have imposed himself over the community by deceit. He is actually following the Boko Haram script, in other words, he is a mole in the community. He however found willing hands in the thugs that did the actual killing because of poverty in the land. I suspect that the local police officers that were in the scene were surrogates of the same traditional ruler. The report has it that these police officers actually incited the lynch-men to set the unfortunate boys on fire. There is an attempt here to bury the truth. We still have the opportunity to dig the truth, nothing but the whole truth in this matter. There are video clips and there are accompanying voice recordings as well. Experts can easily analyze the voices in the crowd to pinpoint individuals. This is a serious matter and needs the best team of investigators to unravel the whole truth. If we can get this right, it will be the beginning of a better Nigeria. President GEJ to note this happened in his backyard.
Gud help Nigerian students. & we d students shud b careful wit d kind of friends we asociate. R.I.P
God save d future leadas, nija no care.