LAGOS ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER EMBROILED IN BRUTALITY SCANDAL AFTER SHARING DISTURBING VIDEO
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Tokunbo Wahab, the Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, has come under fire after releasing a video purportedly showing environmental officials brutally abusing suspected criminals.
The cops are accused of breaking both Nigeria’s Anti-Torture Act of 2017 and the United Nations Treaty Against Torture, to which the country is a signatory, by those who have watched the video that was posted to his X (formerly Twitter) account.
On Wednesday, during a search in Obalende, members of the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), Lagos Neighborhood Watch, Environmental Health Officers, and the Lagos State Environmental Taskforce are seen in the video assaulting alleged criminals.
Wahab may have wanted to call attention to the government’s initiatives to stop environmental infractions, but the way the officers handled the people they detained has come under fire.
The caption accompanying the video read: “Several miscreants were arrested while the agency successfully secured the conviction of 12 individuals involved in commercial sex work. They were sentenced to eight months in prison for charges related to prostitution and breach of peace.”
However, the focus has shifted to the conduct of the officers during the arrests, which has ignited debates on law enforcement abuse.
One prominent critic, Lagos-based lawyer Ridwan Oke, pointed out specific instances of brutality in the video.
“Between 00:45 and 01:00 in the video, one of your officers was seen slapping and beating up suspects. One of the suspects, particularly the second victim, was not resisting arrest, yet the officer used unnecessary force,” Oke noted in his response on X.
He added that the incident was “contrary to our laws prohibiting torture, intimidation, and inhumane treatment.”
Oke urged the commissioner to investigate the officers’ actions and improve training protocols to prevent future abuses. “Such an officer will do worse and abuse their powers if given the opportunity,” he warned.
The video has also brought up thoughts for the #EndSARS movement in Nigeria, which called for an end to police brutality during nationwide demonstrations in October 2020.
Consistent instances of mistreatment by law enforcement incited demonstrations, culminating in the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Nigeria is required by both international and domestic law to respect human rights norms. The International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture (CAT) are two of the important treaties that the nation has ratified.
Nevertheless, instances of brutality continue, and the most recent episode has cast doubt on the Lagos State government’s resolve to put an end to these abuses.
Regarding the mounting backlash to the video, the Lagos State administration has not yet responded, and it is yet unknown what will become of the officers implicated.
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