RULAAC Slams IGP’s Comments on Minors who Collapsed in Court

By Praise Chinecherem

Rights group, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC has expressed worry over what it described as contrasting statements from Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, regarding the malnourished children who collapsed in court.

Recall that while being arraigned on November 1 at the Federal High Court, Abuja, some of the minors arrested and being arraigned for participating during the August 1 #EndBadGovernance protests had collapsed in court.

In their initial reaction to the outrage that greeted the sordid sight of malnourished children fainting in Court during their arraignment on November 1, 2024 for alleged treason, the Nigeria Police through a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, labeled the collapse of the minors as a ‘scripted’ act intended to sway public opinion.

The police said it was an act orchestrated to create a negative impression in the public, defending the legal process, while insisting that those of age within the limits of criminal responsibility must be held accountable for their actions.

However, after President Bola Tinubu succumbed to public pressure and ordered the release and rehabilitation of the victimized children, the Nigeria Police in a subsequent statement dated November 4, 2024 also signed by the same Force PRO said the ‘IGP has directed an investigation into the conditions surrounding the care and welfare of the young persons while in police detention facilities’.

He said the IGP vowed to thoroughly examine it and take necessary actions to address any procedural lapses or concerns.

The Executive Director of RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma in a statement on Tuesday, said the contrasting statements from the IGP raise significant concerns about the police’s commitment to the rule of law and their ability to act impartially above political interests.

According to him, the IGP’s sudden realization that ‘there’s something wrong’ prompting his announced ‘vow to ‘investigate’, minimizes legitimate concerns regarding the treatment of vulnerable individuals and suggests a reluctance to acknowledge potential misconduct within the police.

“Following public outcry and the President’s directives for the release and rehabilitation of the children, the IGP announced an investigation into the welfare of the children in police custody.

“While this shift may signal an awareness of the issues at hand, it also raises questions about the sincerity of the initial dismissal.

“Would the IGP have made this sudden U-Turn had the president not responded and acted in deference to public pressure?” he queried.

Nwanguma maintained that the IGP’s initial assertion that the children were performing a stunt undermines the credibility of the police.

This inconsistency, he said, creates skepticism about their motives and willingness to prioritize ethical standards.

In his words; “The contrasting statements suggest a potential prioritization of regime or political interests over the legal and ethical treatment of detainees. If the police are seen as protecting the interests of the state rather than upholding the law and ensuring justice, public trust erodes.

“Such duplicity can lead to a perception that the police are more concerned with managing public opinion than addressing systemic failures in how they handle detainees, especially minors.

“The sum of my view is that the conflicting messages from the IGP illustrate a troubling dynamic within law enforcement, where narratives can shift in response to public pressure rather than a genuine commitment to justice and humanitarian principles.

“For the police to maintain credibility and uphold the rule of law, they must demonstrate consistent accountability and transparency in their actions, particularly regarding vulnerable populations such as detained minors.”