Group Demands Immediate Resignation of IG over Incarceration of Minors

Adedayo Akinwale in  Abuja

The Lygel Youths and Leadership Initiatives has demanded the immediate resignation of the Inspector General(IG) of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over incarceration and arraignment of the minors involved in the #EndBadGovernance protest.

It added that failure to resign, it would be left with no other option than to approach the court to interpret whether Egebtokun violated Child’s Rights Act or not.

The Director, Legal Compliance of the group,  Lekan Oladapo, disclosed this while addressing a press conference yesterday  in Abuja.

He said it is becoming worrisome that the state of abuse of the police has degenerated to  the abysmal use of law as an instrument of acerbating violence on the Nigerian minors without any pretext.  

Oladapo noted that his organisation considers it an aberration to the law and common sense putting the Nigerian children in a despicable human condition.

He pointed out that the process of the recent arrest, incarceration and the arraignment of the minors under pitiable condition are condemnable. 

Oladapo lamented  that the official reaction of the police to this unwarranted inhuman and violation of the child’s rights is an assault on the collective intelligence of the Nigerian citizens.

He emphasised that the rights of the minors are non-negotiable  as far as Section 11 of the Child’s Rights and Section 34 of the Constitution are concerned. 

Oladapo was of the opinion  that the way and manner the minors were detained, lumped with the adult detainees was a violent breach of their rights to human dignity on which the violation cannot be ordinarily compensated.

The group stated: “Without fear of contradictions, the Inspector-General of Police should be relieved of his duty as a responsible officer of this ignominious act. After all, he has outlived his statutory tenure in the service. Mr. President and the Police Council must wade in to salvage Nigerians from the messy situation we find ourselves.

“On a general note, there is  more to do on the police reform, for the IG has arrogated so much power to himself that needed to be checkmated. 

“Flowing from the state of things, there is need to restructure the Police Council beyond mere advisory roles it plays in the appointment of the IG. It is evident that the IG survives on the pleasure of Mr. President alone, which gives them the leverage to use the office for political purposes, dancing to the tune of appointer.

“We as an organisation with the object of good leadership and youth development is following this up to ensure that needed reform is brought up to bring sanity to the polity.  

“If the IG is not removed or resign, we would not hesitate to take the needed legal process for Mr. President and his Police Council of Advisers to do the needful.”