My thoughts about the lynching.

A video recently went viral on Twitter, about four UNIPORT students who were lynched and burnt alive by a mob, over accusations of theft and/or armed robbery/cultism. 
Even though there are multiple stories that explain what the students were accused to have done, I believe no human being should be subjected to that degree of dehumanizing treatment.
 The lynching was wrong, not only from a moral and ethical standpoint, but under the law as well. Jungle justice is not provided for under the constitution of the nation. 
Even if capital punishment appears to be the only solution, there are more humane methods to do it. 

The problem with passing justice on the evil that men do lies in a general accepted consensus; the equality of all men. If then a man does evil, what right have you to punish him, if indeed we are all of each equal standing.
To solve this conundrum, a concept was adopted: The Supremacy of the Law.
 If men do not have the authority to mete out punishment to their fellows, a "god" of sorts had then been included in the equation.
A body which is above all reproach and questioning. The Law.
 By virtue of being Nigerians, each of  those people involved in those murders should answer their cases in the courts.
The executors of this heinous act are in contravention of Sections 33, 34 and 36 of the Nigerian Constitution. (Believe me I read the constitution myself)
If they walk free, it is not only a slap in the face of our legal system, (two slaps actually, if you count the fact that the lynching happened at all) and in the faces of ALL of us as Nigerians. It is a slap in the face of our police force. It is a slap in the face of parents all around the country who are now not even assured of the safety of their wards, regardless of what school they are in.

May God keep us all.



Additional information:
-Dr M. Cooray, "Supremacy of the Law", 
Retrieved 7th October, 2012 from:  http://www.ourcivilisation.com/cooray/btof/chap181.htm
- E.O. Esiemokhai, "The Rule of Law in Nigeria", 
Retrieved 7th October, 2012 from: http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/emmanuel-omoh-esiemokhai/the-rule-of-law-in-nigeria-3.html
- "The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria"
Retrieved 7th October, 2012 from: http://www.nigeria-law.org/ConstitutionOfTheFederalRepublicOfNigeria.htm#Chapter_4