Violence: CHSR Calls For Proper Screening Of Arrested Suspects Before Prosecution

CYRIACUS IZUEKWE

The Centre for Human and Socio-economic Rights, (CHSR), said its attention has been drawn to the arrest of some Nigerians in connection with the anarchy that befell the country after the shooting of the #EndSARS protesters, which resulted to looting, maiming and burning of public properties by some hoodlums and miscreants, who carted away goods worth millions of Naira.

Speaking on the development, Comrade Alex OmotehinseNational President, CHSR, said, “We want to use this medium to appeal to the Police Authorities in Lagos State i.e the Compol Lagos Command and the AIG Zone 2, to please ensure there should not be any transfer of aggression in screening the reported over 200 suspects arrested so far,  as it is obvious that some innocents may have been victims of circumstance”.

“The CHSR has been receiving complaint since Saturday from some victims’ relatives that their children were arrested in some areas where there was no crisis and they were joined together with those picked from scenes of the incidents,  but we do not want to believe this to be true.”

“CHSR as a reputable rights group, we are in full support of the Police to bring all the evil perpetrators to book. We are also appealing that due diligence and unbiased screening should be conducted on the arrested suspects before prosecution.”

“The reports reaching us were that some families had been denied access to their children since Friday due to the nature of the case.”

“We are appealing to the Police Authorities to please ensure that even if it is only 5 people that are found culpable out of the over 200 suspects arrested, they should be made to face the wrath of the law rather than to prosecute all of them because some Police Stations and officers were burnt and killed in the fracas.”
“The Law says “IT IS BETTER FOR 99 ACCUSED TO ESCAPE THAN TO CONVICT ONLY 1 INNOCENT” the CHSR concluded.