ALUU Killing: Why Justice Must Be Done

The Nigeria Police last Monday announced a major breakthrough in their investigation into the gruesome murder of four University of Port Harcourt students, Ugonna Obuzor 20;  Lloyd Toku, 19; Tekena Elkanah, 20; and Chiadika Biringa, 20. While briefing newsmen, the Deputy Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba disclosed that four principal suspects who were deeply involved in the dastardly act, were arrested, thus bringing the number of suspects arrested to 13. The suspects were hauled before a Port Harcourt Magistrate’s Court on a two-count charge of conspiracy and murder.

While the success so far recorded by the police is commendable, they should know that the job is not yet complete.

Unless the Nigeria Police carries out a thorough investigation and expedite action on the case, Nigerians, who are following it with keen interest, will be sorely disappointed. Such disappointments usually lead to losing faith in the nation’s criminal and judicial system. Similar investigations carried out by the police in the past were either bungled by the police themselves or the files gathering dust in our nation’s courts due to the snail speed of the trials. The bungling of the trial of the suspects involved in the murder of the late Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Chief Bola Ige, still tugs at our conscience.

The investigation and speedy trial of the Aluu suspects is a litmus test not just for the efficiency of the police but also for the fairness of our judicial system; and it will have far reaching consequences. The unfortunate and highly condemnable incident that happened at Allu is a sad commentary on a people who have lost faith in their nation’s judicial system. If the killers had believed in the judiciary, they wouldn’t have taken the law into their hands, though this is not a justification for their barbaric act. So, to avoid a repeat of the resort to jungle justice in the future, justice must not just be done but be seen to be done.

The principle of the rule of law should also be brought to bear on the case. Everybody involved in that gruesome murder should be made to face the full wrath of the law notwithstanding their social status. Nigerians are watching with bated breath what happens to Alhaji Hassan Walewa , the traditional ruler of Omukiri community, Allu, who allegedly gave the arbitrary order that the students should be killed. Justice is usually not done to a case like this involving an influential person in the society. The case is either bungled or treated shoddily.

The incident at Allu is, indeed, a clarion call on Nigerians to re-appraise their conduct and social behaviour. While it is imperative that the police and our judicial officers do their jobs, we should not always wait for such things to happen and then run to the law for justice. It was Mahatma Gandhi who said people should be the change they desire. Cases like this must be nipped in the bud. That is why the socialisation process as well as re-orientation are very important in order to bring about behavioural change. A lot of work in the area of inculcating moral values in Nigerians needs to be done in our social institutions namely, the family, schools, churches and mosques, traditional institutions, peer group etc.

It is no gainsaying the fact that most, if not all, of those who took part in the killing of the Allu four profess to be adherents of one religion or the other. And the followers of those religious organisations believe in the sanctity of life. If, in spite of the prevalence of churches and mosques in this country, such gruesome murders still take place, what then do our religious leaders preach? It’s sad that most of the violent acts in our society are committed by overzealous religious people. It is high time our religious leaders inculcated the values of non violence and love in their followers.

The family also has a very important role to play in this behavioural change. Charity, they say, begins at home. Parents should teach their children the values of hard work and good moral behaviour at home. They should also monitor their children carefully and not leave them to the vicissitudes of time and place and the mercy of peer group. They should stop them from watching violent movies, where they imbibe violent habits.

Our traditional institutions are supposed to be the custodians of culture, moral values and peaceful conduct. It is only based on such values that a society reinvents and sustains itself. So it was really shocking and disheartening to hear that the traditional ruler of Omukiri community ordered that the students be killed. We are using this opportunity to call on Nigerians to ensure that only those who have good moral upbringing and have respect for human life and dignity are allowed to occupy leadership positions in our traditional institutions.