Nigeria's Legal System Fails to Uphold Justice: #FreeSeunKuti
I find it deeply disheartening to witness the state of affairs in Nigeria, as reflected in recent events surrounding Seun Kuti's case. It is regrettable that some individuals, like the Twitter user @DamilojuJLT, have resorted to labeling our nation as a jungle. While I understand their frustration, I believe it is essential to approach this issue with more nuanced language.
First and foremost, the court proceedings in Apapa today have left us questioning their purpose. However, it is important to acknowledge that this is primarily the concern of Apapa and the Labour party. On a personal note, I was present in court yesterday after learning that Seun Kuti had been brought in without his lawyers' knowledge. This incident highlights the alarming level of lawlessness prevailing in our country.
I was taken aback when I witnessed the closure of the main entrance to court 1, accompanied by armed police officers stationed at the side entrances as if protecting a notorious criminal or a member of a mafia syndicate. Let us not forget that Seun Kuti is an internationally recognized Afrobeat musician, not a mafia figure. I felt compelled to confront these officers, as their actions lacked justification. Regrettably, they were unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for blocking the entrance to a public court. While I hold the @PoliceNG responsible, including their superiors from the Commissioner of Police to the Inspector General, as well as their online representatives such as @Princemoye1 and @BenHundeyin, I believe it is crucial to address this issue responsibly.
Let us retrace the timeline of events surrounding Seun Kuti's case:
- Seun Kuti slapped a police officer.
- A video of the incident surfaced on social media.
- Seun Kuti stated that the matter had been resolved and urged Nigerians to move on.
- However, the police were not satisfied and the Inspector General ordered his arrest.
- Seun Kuti responded, promising cooperation.
- On Monday morning, he voluntarily arrived at the police headquarters with his lawyers.
- Unfortunately, the Commissioner of Police refused to attend to him, diverting him to the State Public Relations Officer, who seemed intent on humiliating him before addressing any other concerns. Despite Seun Kuti's lack of resistance, they proceeded to handcuff him, remove his shoes, and even attempted to remove his shirt, which he resisted.
- Instead of handling the case at a lower division, the police chose to waste resources and escalated it to the State CID Panti.
- During the court hearing on Tuesday, falsehoods began to circulate. The police claimed that the officer was in a coma, which was a blatant lie. They resorted to such tactics to prevent Seun Kuti from obtaining bail while the case continues. It appears that the police want to be both the complainant and the judge in this matter.
- The magistrate initially ruled that Seun Kuti should be released after 48 hours, but the police disregarded this order and returned to the same court after 48 hours without informing his lawyers. They obtained a questionable order to further detain him for four days. It is absurd that a magistrate would entertain such nonsense and grant such a ruling.
- It is worth noting that they brought Seun Kuti to court without notifying his legal counsel. Furthermore, although he slapped a police officer on the Third Mainland Bridge, the police subsequently attempted to search his home and car, needlessly causing pain and confusion within his family.
Now they are requesting a blood test. I fail to comprehend the purpose of this test. Did Seun Kuti infect the officer with a virus through the slap? What exactly are they searching for?
Watch the video below:
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