The Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly has on Friday passed a resolution against jungle justice in the state.
The motion, which was presented by the member representing Ikono State Constituency, Hon Asuquo Nana, was informed by the increasing cases of jungle justice in the state.
Hon. Nana in the motion tagged “Rising Cases of Jungle Justice in Akwa Ibom State: Urgent Need to End the Menace,” described jungle justice as a “form of arbitrary extrajudicial killing where a suspected criminal is humiliated, beaten or summarily killed by a crowd,” lamenting that the practice has been on the increase in the state in recent years.
He recalled an incident along Olusegun Obasanjo Way by Nsentip Street in Uyo, where a young man was accused of stealing a mobile phone and was lynched immediately as well as an incident at Urua Okpokpo in Ikot Oku Ikono, where a nursing mother was killed by an irate crowd for allegedly stealing another woman’s money, among other incidences.
He added, “Jungle justice has thrived in the state due to the inability of law enforcement agencies to deliver truthful service to meet the yearnings of the people.”
The House, therefore, resolved as follows: “The Commissioner of Police and other security agencies should investigate incidences of jungle justice in Akwa Ibom State, most especially the one at Okpokpo market in Ikot Oku Ikono with a view to arresting and bringing the perpetrators to book.
“Ministry of Information and Strategy, as well as the Ethical and Attitudinal Reorientation Commission (EARCOM) should sensitize the minds of the youths to shun violence and jungle justice.”
The House also implored security and relevant agencies of government to keep watch and ensure that jungle justice is eliminated totally by ensuring that they do their jobs without fear or favour.
