IN CONDEMNATION OF THE MANNER THE POLICE HAVE HANDLED THE CASE OF THE PATANI LGA CHAIRMAN
December 15, 2020 | News
With regards to the viral broadcast online of the picture of the Patani Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Perez Omoun, showing him almost-naked (just in his underwear) and in hand-cuffs, I believe such online public display of a crime suspect by the Police, is absolutely condemnable.
IN CONDEMNATION OF THE MANNER THE POLICE HAVE HANDLED THE CASE OF THE PATANI LGA CHAIRMAN
With regards to the viral broadcast online of the picture of the Patani Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Perez Omoun, showing him almost-naked (just in his underwear) and in hand-cuffs, I believe such online public display of a crime suspect by the Police, is absolutely condemnable.
While I strongly condemn the reported attack by the said Patani LGA Chairman on the Commissioner for Power & Energy, Hon. Basil Ganagana, a serving Commissioner in Delta State, but I also strongly condemn the act of the Police for stripping a grown man naked, who happens to be the Chairman of Patani Local Government Council. Such act is nothing but barbaric, for the Police to stripe someone naked in this 21st century.
It is very animalistic, repugnant to natural justice and equity. But most importantly, it is also an act in complete violation of Section 30(1)(2) of the Violence Against Persons Act 2020, which was recently signed into law by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Section 27(8) of the Act also categorically noted that "Any Agency of the Federal, State or Local Government shall be liable for the act of political violence committed by its agents, and the Court shall order it to pay appropriate compensation commensurate with the extent and amount of damage done to such number of victims as the Court deems fit." The Police should also not be seen to be above the law in the discharge of their statutory duties.
Let us also bear in mind that the man, Perez Omoun, whom they stripped naked is a public figure, especially in the Patani local government area of Delta State. Do we call this a show of strength and power by the Nigerian Police in Delta State or what? Will this make the public say that the Nigerian Police are fighting crime? In the subject case, the said Chairman of the Patani Local Government Council was not involved in an armed robbery case, neither was he involved in a kidnap case, nor the killing of any person. So, he really does not deserve to be treated as if he is a common criminal. Mind you, I am not justifying his action of destroying the personal property of the said serving Commissioner, Hon. Basil Ganagana to be good. But the Delta State Police just went too far with their act of his indecent exposure.
While I appreciate the efforts of the Delta State Police command in the arrest of some notorious armed robbers on December 14,2020, but the way they have handled this subject case is clearly wrong. Will this be good for the image of the Nigerian Police in Delta State? Especially after the EndSARS protests where the Police is being accused of brutality. This, in my own opinion, is another form of 'police brutality' and complete violation of the Human Rights of the said Chairman of the Patani local government council of Delta State. I think the said Chairman, Mr. Perez Omoun, deserves an unreserved apology from the Delta State Police Command Authorities for stripping him naked and published his picture in handcuffs online. This is because evidently, it will further dent the public image of the Nigerian Police.
The Nigerian Police in Delta State should focus and channel their strengths, power and energy on fighting the increasing crimes in Delta State. They have a lot to do in that regard. They should concentrate their efforts in fighting kidnapping, armed robberies, unexplained killings by unknown gun men, which has increased in recent times in Delta State. Rather than engage in the act of stripping a public figure naked in other to disgrace him and satisfy some powerful politicians in the State.
The best, I believe the Police could have done was to arrest and prosecute the said Patani LGA Chairman for destroying the property of a Serving Commissioner in Delta State. What law permits the Nigerian Police Authorities to stripe someone naked, and photographed him while in handcuffs?
Nigeria is not a POLICE STATE, neither is it a MILITARY REPUBLIC, yet there are too many Human Rights violations by the Police under President Muhammadu Buhari. This is wrong in all sides. And according to a Police Officer who does not want his name in print: “No, he does not deserve this humiliation, whether he is a serving or former Chairman. And this kind of action can implant permanent hatred and even ignite crises.” Not that I personally know the said Patani Chairman to be stressing this issue like this, but because such act of stripping anyone naked and then spreading that person's picture online, is very barbaric, inhuman and best described as public and indecent exposure intended to embarrass and humiliate another person (as noted by the stated Sections of the Act above). This has to stop, no matter who or what is involved.
More so, there is no justification for stripping any person naked, and exposing that person to public glare for that matter.
Zik Gbemre.
December 15, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes
With regards to the viral broadcast online of the picture of the Patani Local Government Council Chairman, Mr. Perez Omoun, showing him almost-naked (just in his underwear) and in hand-cuffs, I believe such online public display of a crime suspect by the Police, is absolutely condemnable.
While I strongly condemn the reported attack by the said Patani LGA Chairman on the Commissioner for Power & Energy, Hon. Basil Ganagana, a serving Commissioner in Delta State, but I also strongly condemn the act of the Police for stripping a grown man naked, who happens to be the Chairman of Patani Local Government Council. Such act is nothing but barbaric, for the Police to stripe someone naked in this 21st century.
It is very animalistic, repugnant to natural justice and equity. But most importantly, it is also an act in complete violation of Section 30(1)(2) of the Violence Against Persons Act 2020, which was recently signed into law by the Delta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Section 27(8) of the Act also categorically noted that "Any Agency of the Federal, State or Local Government shall be liable for the act of political violence committed by its agents, and the Court shall order it to pay appropriate compensation commensurate with the extent and amount of damage done to such number of victims as the Court deems fit." The Police should also not be seen to be above the law in the discharge of their statutory duties.
Let us also bear in mind that the man, Perez Omoun, whom they stripped naked is a public figure, especially in the Patani local government area of Delta State. Do we call this a show of strength and power by the Nigerian Police in Delta State or what? Will this make the public say that the Nigerian Police are fighting crime? In the subject case, the said Chairman of the Patani Local Government Council was not involved in an armed robbery case, neither was he involved in a kidnap case, nor the killing of any person. So, he really does not deserve to be treated as if he is a common criminal. Mind you, I am not justifying his action of destroying the personal property of the said serving Commissioner, Hon. Basil Ganagana to be good. But the Delta State Police just went too far with their act of his indecent exposure.
While I appreciate the efforts of the Delta State Police command in the arrest of some notorious armed robbers on December 14,2020, but the way they have handled this subject case is clearly wrong. Will this be good for the image of the Nigerian Police in Delta State? Especially after the EndSARS protests where the Police is being accused of brutality. This, in my own opinion, is another form of 'police brutality' and complete violation of the Human Rights of the said Chairman of the Patani local government council of Delta State. I think the said Chairman, Mr. Perez Omoun, deserves an unreserved apology from the Delta State Police Command Authorities for stripping him naked and published his picture in handcuffs online. This is because evidently, it will further dent the public image of the Nigerian Police.
The Nigerian Police in Delta State should focus and channel their strengths, power and energy on fighting the increasing crimes in Delta State. They have a lot to do in that regard. They should concentrate their efforts in fighting kidnapping, armed robberies, unexplained killings by unknown gun men, which has increased in recent times in Delta State. Rather than engage in the act of stripping a public figure naked in other to disgrace him and satisfy some powerful politicians in the State.
The best, I believe the Police could have done was to arrest and prosecute the said Patani LGA Chairman for destroying the property of a Serving Commissioner in Delta State. What law permits the Nigerian Police Authorities to stripe someone naked, and photographed him while in handcuffs?
Nigeria is not a POLICE STATE, neither is it a MILITARY REPUBLIC, yet there are too many Human Rights violations by the Police under President Muhammadu Buhari. This is wrong in all sides. And according to a Police Officer who does not want his name in print: “No, he does not deserve this humiliation, whether he is a serving or former Chairman. And this kind of action can implant permanent hatred and even ignite crises.” Not that I personally know the said Patani Chairman to be stressing this issue like this, but because such act of stripping anyone naked and then spreading that person's picture online, is very barbaric, inhuman and best described as public and indecent exposure intended to embarrass and humiliate another person (as noted by the stated Sections of the Act above). This has to stop, no matter who or what is involved.
More so, there is no justification for stripping any person naked, and exposing that person to public glare for that matter.
Zik Gbemre.
December 15, 2020.
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes