Rising cases of public humiliation and harassment of female suspects engender sharp disagreement between residents of Port Harcourt and human rights advocates in Rivers State
By Chinedu Oguh, Port Harcourt
Human Rights Activist, Prince Wiro and his group have condemned the alleged rape assault and public humiliation of female suspects arrested over their alleged involvement in crimes in Rivers State, especially the case of one-chance female robber, who arrested along the Rumuosi-Rumuekini axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State and a fake transfer genius lady allegedly caught using fake bank transfer alerts to defraud businesswomen at Choba Market.
Wiro called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the men seen in a viral video allegedly sexual assaulting the suspects before the arrival of police officers. In the video sighted by Tentacle, several men were allegedly seen inserting their fingers into the women’s private parts after stripping them naked and forcing them to spread their legs in public.
The incidents have sparked widespread outrage and renewed concerns over mob justice and sexual violence.
Reacting to the incidents, Wiro described the actions captured in the video as tantamount to rape under the provisions of the Rivers State Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, stressing that no individual has the right to subject a suspect to degrading or inhuman treatment.
“Under the Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Law, Section 2 defines rape to include the intentional penetration of the vagina, anus or mouth of another person with any part of the body, such as fingers, or with any object, without the person’s consent.
“There is absolutely no justification for such actions, and there is no nexus between the alleged crime committed by female suspects and the assault inflicted on them. Nobody should hide under the guise of punishing criminal suspects to commit sexual assault,” he said.
The National Coordinator of the Centre for Basic Rights Protection and Accountability Campaign acknowledged the gravity of the allegations against the suspects and the devastating impact of one-chance robberies which have left many victims dispossessed of their property and, in some cases, their lives. However, he maintained that the actions of the mob were contrary to the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Rivers State.
Another Human Right Activist, Celestine James told Tentacle that the actions of the men captured in the video clearly portray them as sexual predators who deserved to be behind bars.
James further argued that the incident reflects gender-based discrimination, noting that while the female suspects were stripped naked and allegedly assaulted, the male suspect arrested alongside them was not subjected to similar treatment.
He urged the Rivers State Police Command to identify, arrest and prosecute every one captured in the video, emphasizing that every suspect is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
A Port Harcourt based legal practitioner, Mr. Mike Ezem condemned the act, saying that prosecuting the offenders would discourage individuals from hiding under the guise of punishing suspected criminals to attack, maim or sexually assault perceived offenders.
Another Human Right Activist, Okon Akpan, also condemned the growing trend of members of the public filming suspected thieves, forcing them to dance, recording videos of their humiliation, and circulating the footage on social media. He urged the police to ensure that any one founding engaging in such acts is brought to justice.
But Port Harcourt residents disagreed with the opinions of the human rights activists. A resident of Rumuosi Community, Joseph Onwunali, said the mob attack and the stripping of the ladies’ clothes was triggered by public anger over the rising cases of women involving in criminal activities in recent times in the state, which he described as disturbing and alarming.
Lamenting that an earlier one-chance incident claimed the life of a community member, identified as Nkiruka Jennifer Ihunda, he (Onwunali) urged the government and the Nigeria Police Force to strengthen local vigilante groups across the local government areas to help tackle the growing threat of one-chance operators. He also questioned high criminals continue to operation despite the presence of several police checkpoints across the state.
While residents are raising concern over the effectiveness of police checkpoints amid reports that robbers and kidnappers continue to pass through them with their victims without being stopped.
The Rivers State Police Command has warned residents against mob action and jungle justice. The command’s spokesperson, Agabe Kaborlo, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) condemned the mob attack on a woman, Maria Kaboro, who was falsely accused of kidnapping a 12-year-old child on Owo Street, Mile 3, Diobu, Port Harcourt.
Kaborlo charged residents to report suspected criminal activities to the police rather than resorting to extrajudicial actions, warning that mob violence and jungle justice would not be tolerated under any circumstance and that perpetrators of such acts would face the full weight of the law.
