Law Has Failed To Curb Crimes In Nigeria — J. S. Okutepa (SAN)

— Says Government Lacks Political Will To Tackle Criminality Head-on
— Says Government Protects And Rewards Those Who Should Be In Jail
— Warns Against Uncircumspective Thinking When Making Policies

Mr. Jibrin Samuel Okutepa, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria has questioned the place of law in fighting crimes in Nigeria.

In a statement made available to TheNigeriaLawyer, the learned silk said Nigerian government introduced amnesty to criminal elements but yet people celebrated it without looking at its future consequences

According to him, kidnapping and banditry has become a lucrative business and sadly there are “experts” who know the perpetrators but yet government has not been able to put an end to insecurity

“What really is the place of law in Nigeria in curbing crimes.
Nigeria government introduced ideas of amnesty to criminal elements and we celebrated it because it suits their primordial adhoc political gains.

“Nigerians like follow without critical appraisal of futuristic consequences of the present actions. People are committing crimes everyday and we have not been able to apply law to curb these crimes and criminal activities.

“Today crimes and criminal activities and or kidnapping and banditry have become thriving and lucrative businesses and we now have experts who know where these criminal elements are and yet government seems to be incapable of putting an end to this insecurity.” he said

Furthermore, Okutepa recalled a similar statement he made in October 2020 on the same issue

He said, “On 22nd 2020, I wrote:

‘We have too many jokers in this country. We protect those who should be in jail.We reward those who should be put in jail. Yet we claimed that we are fighting corruption.The law is dormant in Nigeria. We apply laws only against the less privileged.

Those who are well connected are protected even when they breached the laws of the land. Justice is far from us in judgements. Those who took oaths to deliver justice to us in most cases put road blocks on the roads of justice through impossible legal principles.

I fear for those of us who cannot do leg works. Come to think of it we have many jokers in this country. There are many things being done upside down. We mis-apply laws to suit primordial partisan interest. The citizens too hailed those who have means and they cared not how the means are acquired so long as they benefit from the means. We have many jokers in this country.This is my thought’. ”

The distinguished silk concluded that Nigeria is been lead by jokers who have lead people into perdition. He said people are killed daily but yet security agencies are helpless. He again questioned the place of law in this situation

“Really we have jokers who have captured us as people and lead us to perdition. Daily people are abducted, kidnapped and some cases killed, yet our security agencies are helpless. The sophisticated guns of these bandits are so intimidating. Guns are being freely brought into this country and these bandits have become law unto themselves and our laws have gone to bed.

“So I ask what is the place of law in Nigeria.”