Mob Justice: Rights Activist Calls For Investigation Into Killing Of Woman In Agbarho

By Daniel Dafe

A rights activist in Delta State, Comr.(Amb) Derrick Oritsematosan Agberen has called on the state government to immediately and transparently investigate the killing of a woman over suspicion of trying to steal a 7 year old child in Agbarho Community, in Ughelli North Local Government Area, saying that those suspected to be responsible must be arrested and brought to justice.

He said this in a statement on Wednesday.

He added that “while it has been reported by the indigenous people and residents of Agbarho town about the persistent and alarming disappearance of children, suspected to be victims of human trafficking or stolen for ritual purposes, which calls for concerns by the State Government and relevant authorities, no individual, groups, residents or aggrieved commuters have the right to take the life of another on the ground of being a suspect or caught in the act.”

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He asked: “What would be the fate of these children, growing up in an environment where they are exposed to individuals who brutally tortured and murdered their mother, based on an unjust and erroneous characterization?”
He continued: “As a concerned citizen, I deeply condemn the actions of the aggrieved mob, which also expose the tragic consequences of mob justice, which continues to claim innocent lives and erode public trust in the justice system. The incident is a sobering reminder of the urgent need for stronger law enforcement, public education, and judicial reforms too.

“While I must also recognize that the citizens lost in confidence and public trust on the legal and judicial system and failure of relevant government to make necessary reforms are responsible for these incidences, the menace of mob violence is perhaps one of the biggest threats to the right to life in Nigeria, just like these kids would have to psychologically suffer from the trauma of what happened to their mother in broad the light.”

According to him, “the fact that these killings have been happening for a long time especially in the North, with few cases investigated and prosecuted, highlights the shocking failure by authorities to uphold and fulfill their obligation to protect people from harm and violence,” just as he hinted that “the sole remedy for mob control is to have reliable systems, from security agencies to the judiciary.”

“The moment Nigerian law starts working effectively, all this jungle justice and mob violence will end naturally,” he averred.

Furthermore, he called for justice, rule of law, and human rights for all.