NBA Lagos Protest: Lawyers Seek End to Police Brutality
Steve Aya
Lawyers have called for an end to Police brutality against Nigerians, especially to Lawyers who are doing their jobs and should be respected and seen as partners seeking to uphold the law. This is the view of most Lawyers who spoke on the heels of the procession to the office of the Lagos State Commissioner of Police.
The former General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association, Mrs Joyce Oduah, while expressing her anger called for an end to Police brutality on Lawyers, Journalists, and indeed, all Nigerians, stressing that this type of action must stop. She further questioned the reason behind asking for money when the Police say Bail is Free, the matter for which Mr Olumide Sonupe was brutalised is a Civil matter.
Also speaking, Mr Gbenga Haastrup, wondered what kind of country we are operating in where a Policeman with all impunity will harass, brutalise, and detain a Lawyer who did not commit any crime but for doing his job, is unfair and uncalled for. We need to change this narrative, because it gives this country a bad name
Wahab Abdullahi, a former Journalist who is now a practicing Lawyer also called for an end to Police brutality against Lawyers, Journalists, and Nigerians in general, stating that the Police have been brutalising Nigerians for so long, and it is time someone tells them to move away from such old practice and treat people generally with some form of decency.
The Chairman of the NBA Ikeja Branch, Seyi Olawumi, said the protest was to condemn the increased rate of harassment that Lawyers suffer at the hands of the Police. “It is a peaceful protest against Police brutality of our members, who go into Police stations for the service of their clients”.
The NBA protest was led by popular human rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr Femi Falana, who called on the Nigeria Police to conduct proper investigations into the cases of brutality against Lawyers in Lagos State.
“We are making a case through him, that Nigerian Lawyers will no longer allow the brutalisation of Lawyers and indeed, other citizens. The NBA wants a full investigation of the incident in the station, and the Commissioner of Police announced today that hyper investigation is already ongoing.”
Briefing Journalists in Ikeja, Mr Falana said the five branches of the NBA in Lagos met with the State Police Commissioner, Adegoke Fayoade, whom he said assured the Lawyers that a thorough investigation has commenced into the incident.
“Lawyers in Lagos State decided to come together today to protest against Police brutality, because of the recent maltreatment meted out to one of our colleagues”, he stated.
The Lawyers’ protest took place hours after the CP had ordered the removal of the Divisional Police Officer of Moshalashi Police Station, Austin Arase, who ordered the detention of a Lagos-based Lawyer, Olumide Sonupe, who was hospitalised after he was allegedly assaulted and held in detention by the Police while seeking justice for his client at the Police station.
About 700 Lawyers participated enthusiastically in the protest march, from the Secretariat of the NBA Ikeja Branch to the headquarters of the Lagos State Police Command and back.
The protest held, despite the pleas and manoeuvres by the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Adegoke Fayoade, who sneaked in on the Lawyers during their meeting to appeal to them (tacitly) to drop the idea of a protest march.
