Our system isn’t working; I mean the basic administration in Nigeria.
In a report, Ghana deported over 16 Nigerian Yahoo-yahoo guys. We have seen foreigners, who have dealt with Nigerian laws even without remorse, name them, Chinese, Lebanese and Indians. These guys had gotten away with their various atrocities with little or no prosecution.
Section 1 of the 1999 Nigeria’s constitution as amended states that “the constitution is supreme and it’s provisions shall have binding force on all authorize and persons throughout the Federal Republic of the Nigeria”. This implies that the law is applicable to everyone whether a Nigerian or alien living in Nigeria.
According to George Washington, the due administration of justice is the firmest pillar of good government; I have considered the first arrangement of the judicial department as essential to the happiness of the country, and to the stability of its political system.”
On 23 June 2022, the Specialist Crime Team of the Metropolitan Police in London arrested a Nigerian, whose identity tallies with that of a former Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and his wife, Beatrice
A statement by the Metropolitan Police said: “A woman and a man were charged today with conspiring to arrange the travel of a child into the UK in order to harvest organs. “The charges follow an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime team. “[A] Beatrice Nwanneka Ekweremadu, 55 (10.9.66) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting. “[B] Ike Ekweremadu, 60 (12.05.62) of Nigeria is charged with conspiracy to arrange/facilitate travel of another person with a view to exploitation, namely organ harvesting. “They have both been remanded in custody and will appear at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court later today.”
According to the UK laws, the politician and his spouse could be prosecuted for slavery, servitude or compulsory labour; sexual exploitation of a child under their care as entrenched under the United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015.
The law says, “The United Kingdom’s Modern Slavery Act 2015 frowns at human trafficking under which organ harvesting falls and is punishable with a maximum sentence of life imprisonment upon conviction.
The Act partly reads, “Under S. 2, an individual commits an offence if they arrange or facilitate the travel of another with a view to that person being exploited. It is irrelevant whether that person consents to the travel, or whether they are a child or an adult.
“Under S. 3 of MSA 2015, exploitation includes: slavery, servitude and forced or compulsory labour; sexual exploitation (which involves the commission of an offence under s 1(1)(a) of the Protection of Children’s Act 1978 (indecent photographs of children), or Pt 1 of SOA 2003 (eg, rape or sexual assault); removal of organs where a person is encouraged required or expected to do anything which involves the commission of an offence under ss 32 or 33 of the Human Tissue Act 2004 (prohibition of commercial dealings in organs and restrictions on use of live donors); securing services etc by force, threats or deception; securing services etc from children and vulnerable persons (eg, physically or mentally ill or disabled).”
It further stated that anyone found guilty of “human trafficking is liable on summary conviction to 12 months’ imprisonment and/or unlimited fine,” adding that “on conviction on indictment, the maximum sentence is life imprisonment.”
No doubts, Ike Ekweremadu broke UK law by not following the right processes even when court has exonerated his wife Beatrice.
Though, Ekweremadu may be ignorant of his actions as a result of his daughter’s hasty health condition. But does the law accept such low excuses?
UK government has continued to prosecute the Nigerian former senate vice president till today despite his personality.
If this was to be in Nigeria, you would have known the result by now.
On Friday, 16 Nigerians were deported by Ghana’s Financial and Intelligence Agency over their alleged involvement in cybercrimes in their country.
The Controller of the Seme Command, Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Dr Chukwu Emeka during a news conference on Friday said it was discovered during investigations that most of them left Nigeria to other West African countries through illegal routes.
He also revealed that some of the some deportees were into the criminal activities due to get- rich syndrome among the youths.
According to Emeka, these are young Nigerians, who claimed that they were deceived or intentionally went out of the country in search of greener pastures.
“Ghana’s Financial and Intelligence Agency accused them of cybercrimes but from our preliminary investigation, we discovered that some of them were lured into these criminal activities due to the get-rich syndrome our youths are developing.
“Some of them are victims in the sense that they were deceived that they can make money if they leave Nigeria. Unfortunately, they don’t get the actual thing they bargained for in Ghana.
“Further investigation also showed that most of them left the country through illegal routes or through the sea to other West African countries.
“We also discovered that most of them travelled without genuine travel documents, so when they got to Ghana they became prey to the authorities.
“The Comptroller General of NIS, Mr Idris Jere, has always advised Nigerians to get genuine travellers’ documents before leaving the country.
“Yes, we are part of the ECOWAS treaty of free movement and goods within the sub-region, the condition are that you must enter those countries through a legitimate route and with the right travel documents.
“It is also important to have definite means of livelihood, if not; by the time you get there, they will see you as a public charge and they will return you to your country,” he said.
He said that it was painful to see young Nigerians getting involved in some unholy activities when they were supposed to be building their talents for their future.
Emeka urged Nigerians to always travel with valid documents, adding that they should live and do their businesses according to the law of the land they had travelled to.
He said that the Government of Ghana had contacted the Seme Command of NIS that they would be repatriating more Nigerians soon.
The controller promised to return those already repatriated to their families after NIS must have concluded its investigation.
Even Ghana,
In September, a Chinese man stabbed his lover identified as Ummakulsum Sani Buhari, to death at Janbulo quarters, Kumbotso Local Government Area of Kano State.
It was gathered that the incident occurred when the Chinese visited the 23-year-old deceased at her parents’ house.
Daily Trust reported that the deceased, popularly known as ‘Ummita’ attended the Kano School of Nursing and Midwifery.
A tweep, @ahmadranking had claimed that a misunderstanding between the duo led to the incident.
He tweeted, “A little misunderstanding reportedly occurred prompting the accused to call Ummita repeatedly and she was said to have ignored his calls.
“He subsequently headed to their home, banged on their door repeatedly, which made Ummita’s mother furious.”
In May, a lady identified as Omotomi Akinsanya reportedly sustained injuries on her leg after she was hit by a hit and run Lebanese who allegedly drove against traffic in the Victoria Island area of Lagos.
The incident which was confirmed on the Twitter handle of SP Benjamin Hundeyin, Spokesperson, Lagos State Police Command, reportedly occurred on Wednesday, at about 0745hrs.
The middle-aged Lebanese name, John Greg ‘m’, as gathered, allegedly drove a Toyota 4Runner recklessly and against traffic on Sanusi Fafunwa Road thereby hitting one Omotomi which resulted in serious injuries to her leg.
He was said to have sped off on noticing the act but was chased and apprehended by sympathisers.
I can’t just go on with many instances where foreigners that live in Nigeria committed punishable crimes and seem to go away with them.
It is awful, distasteful, sad, creepy, and horrific that foreigners intentionally break Nigerian laws and go scot-free while the reverse is the case in their own countries.
The rule is quite simple, if a state desires to bring positive change into the society, then it has to change itself by sowing the seeds of responsibility, character, that is placing the law first.
Arogorn, a journalist and writer, writes from Owerri municipal, Imo State.
