To begin with, this was an incident that occurred in Lagos and if it has to become a legislative issue, Lagos has its own house of assembly that should have been allowed to handle it. Besides, the issue is even more of judicial issue and it ought to have been left for the executive and judiciary to sort out. The fact that the House of Representatives hurriedly jumped into it is another proof that members do not have a full grasp of their functions as an arm of government and they need to get busy at understanding their constitutional schedule properly. Even as an oversight function, it’s doubtful if such issue is included.Â
There have been several dastardly acts of terrorism all around different parts of the country especially Southern Kaduna, Plateau, Zamfara and Borno where at times, many villagers are wiped out by terrorists, yet, the House of Representatives has often carried on as if all is well in the country. The question now is why this sudden interest in the issue at hand or whether it is viewed as more important because the victim was a lawyer. That is nothing but selective action and members of the House of Representatives must be made to understand it in clear terms.
Before the lawyer’s incident, there was a murder of another gentleman by policemen from the same station, yet, no mention was made of it. Every Nigerian life must be treated as sacrosanct. While no one prays for a recurrence of such ugly incident, it is also imperative that all state actors must also understand their constitutional schedule clearly and desist from taking over other people’s functions.
Jide Oyewusi, coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.
