Date Published: 12/15/09

HURIWA decries Police poor handling of Bayo Ohu's probe

The failure of the Nigeria police to unravel the circumstances surrounding the dastardly murder of the erstwhile Assistant political Editor of The Guardian Mr. Bayo Ohu, arrest and prosecute the actual killers, more than two months after the incident, is a clear indictment of the nation’s security community especially the Nigeria police that it has failed in its basic constitutional duty of crime detection and protection of lives and property of the citizenry. 

This conclusion was drawn by the Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria, HURIWA, a democracy inclined and media focused non-governmental organization after her end- of- year meeting even as it endorsed the recent Court case instituted against the Inspector General of Police, Attorney General of the Federation and the Health minister by the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Lagos Chapter on the refusal of the medical team at a near-by private clinic to treat the late Journalist Bayo Ohu immediately after he was shot by the assassins.  

HURIWA stated that the speedy determination of the matter will once and for all resolve the thorny question surrounding the negligence usually shown by medical doctors when persons with bullet wounds are brought before them because they [doctors] erroneously demand the production of police report before an emergency situation like that is treated. HURIWA condemned the practice whereby the Nigeria Police hierarchy insists that police report be obtained before treatment is offered to persons with bullet wounds.  

Specifically, the leadership of the Lagos state chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalist (NUJ) Instituted the matter before the Federal High Court, Lagos Division over the application of section 4(2) of the robbery and firearms (Special Provisions) Act, Cap R11, laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004 and its subsequent role in the death of the Journalist Bayo Ohu. 

In the suit brought pursuant to order 3, Rule 2 and Rules 6,7,8 and 9 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules, 2009 and inherent jurisdiction of the Federal High Court, NUJ is praying the court for a declaration that by the provisions of section 4(2) of the Robbery and firearms (Special Provisions) Act Cap R 11 laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004, it is not mandatory or obligatory for any person that sustains bullet wounds to first report to the police before treatment. HURIWA also urged the National Assembly to pass without further delay the pending bill before the Senate sponsored by Senator Osita Izunaso seeking to out law any police order which may require that report be filed before it before persons with bullet wounds are treated medically.   

Huriwa through its national Coordinator Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko in a media statement urged the court’s speedy pronouncement on that section of the firearms statute because the current interpretation by the police that persons with bullet wound conditions must first report to it before seeking medical attention is a clear violation of section 33 of the 1999 Constitution on the right to life. Huriwa stated that the refusal of the medical team to treat Bayo Ohu because his family could not provide police report of the incident amounted to a grave violation of the most strategic ethical demand of the medical doctors which is to save life. 

The Human Rights Writers’ Association of Nigeria also criticized the poor handling so far of the investigation of the killing of Mr. Bayo Ohu even as it demanded the comprehensive reform of the nation’s police to bring them up to date with the requisite contemporary scientific facilities and skills for effective law enforcement so as to fulfill its constitutional role of providing security of lives and property of Nigerians.        

Citing section 14(2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution that the “security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”, the human rights group affirmed that the unprecedented rise in social crime across the country requires urgent, verifiable and workable measures to make the nation’s security community effective, efficient and result oriented to save Nigeria from anarchy. The group claimed that contrary to a recent statement from the police high command that crime rate has gone down, crime rate has escalated in the rural areas especially in the South East where theft of antiquities like ancient wall clocks and gramophones from the elderly persons has assumed a dangerous dimension. The group called on the National Assembly to alter the relevant constitutional provisions to create community and state police in the country.