It happens everyday but rarely caught on
camera – when the people take the law into
their own hands and become judge, jury and
justice in Nigeria. Or what is commonly
called ‘Jungle Justice”.
There is a system of administration of justice
in Nigeria which runs parallel to the regular
system. This system is devoid of any
pretence to civilization. The system is
as pedestrian as it is mediocre. The system is
as disgusting as it is appalling. The system is
as brutal as it is ruthless. The system is as
embarrassing as it is shameful. The system is
as nihilistic as it is atavistic. Everything
about the system yells stone age,
backwardness, under development and
retrogression. Welcome to Nigeria's jungle
justice system.
Disputes in Lagos are often settled in a
manner such as that seen in the video
because the state justice system is regarded
by most Nigerians as broken.
An Amnesty International Nigeria news
report described the Nigerian justice system
as “utterly failing Nigerian people.”
“Nigeria’s prisons are filled with people
whose human rights are systematically
violated. Approximately 65 per cent of the
inmates are awaiting trial most of whom
have been waiting for their trial for years.
Most of the people in Nigeria’s prisons are
too poor to be able to pay lawyers, and only
one in seven of those awaiting trial have
private legal representation.” – Amnesty
International
And often justice in Nigeria can turn violent.
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