The Nigerian Bar Association Benin Branch (Lion Bar) is greatly disturbed and worried over the pathetic video of a minor of elementary school age who was paraded by the Nigerian Police, Edo State Command at the Command Headquarters, Benin City on allegation of participating in the attack of a police station in the Benin metropolis during a nationwide protest that swept across the nation.
Though it has at different fora condemned the violence that greeted the protest having been hijacked by criminal elements, the Bar in strong terms expresses its displeasure over the practice of parading suspects in the media before trial, as this negates the constitutional provision of the presumption of innocence guaranteed all persons accused of any crime until his guilt is established in the court of law. Most unacceptable is the ugly development of parading a minor in the media, decorated in a police uniform which was allegedly stolen, thereby portraying a minor of Eleven years old as a notorious criminal before the entire world which is against the criminal doctrine of doli incapax. Consequently, the Lion Bar in its resolve in ensuring the respect of the rights of citizens and the defence of it will resist any form of violation under any guise as directed by the President of the Bar, Olumide Akpata Esq. It is therefore demanding a public apology to the minor and members of his family, his immediate and unconditional release from custody or being charged to Court, if he is still in police detention, for this act of gross child abuse and dehumanizing treatment of a Nigerian child by the Nigerian police.
The Bar also demands adequate compensation in damages by the police to assuage the horrible experience that the minor was unfortunately exposed to. The NBA shall not hesitate to activate all legal machineries of redress available under the extant laws of the land, should the above stated demands not acceded to.
