When justice fails, chaos prevails

By Sadiq Muhammed

The mob action that led to the tragic death of the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Rano was entirely avoidable if only we had a functional system. This is a man who, by all standards, should not have been in such a position of authority. He ought to have been under investigation, possibly even behind bars, given that there is a subsisting court judgment indicting him for violating someone’s fundamental rights. Yet, due to corruption and the inefficiencies of a broken system, he was merely transferred to another state despite being clearly guilty.
It is precisely this kind of systemic failure that pushes people to take the law into their own hands. When justice is consistently denied, people lose faith in legal processes and resort to self-help. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident, it has happened far too many times.
I recall the case of a notoriously high-handed officer known as Kwanta Kwanta, who served as the DPO at Gwagwarwa Police Station in Kano. Despite several petitions against him, he was allowed to continue unchecked. Eventually, he killed a young man who had been wrongly accused of harassing a young woman even after the lady herself confirmed that the victim was not involved. Rather than hold him accountable, the police covered up the case and transferred him to Akwa Ibom. The matter reached the Oputa Panel, where Justice Chukwudifu Oputa ordered his arrest but the police refused to act.
This type of negligence and impunity only fosters hatred and further encourages vigilante justice. When the people see that the authorities consistently shield wrongdoers, they lose hope in due process.
The Rano incident is yet another painful reminder of a system on the brink of collapse. If we fail to reform and enforce accountability, the consequences will only grow worse. Everyone regardless of rank or status must be held responsible for their actions. That is what justice and fairness demand.

Muhammed can be reached at [email protected]