By Idris Rufai
The reported killing of a young boy in Ankpa, Kogi State, over alleged cable theft raises serious concerns about justice, human rights and the growing danger of taking the law into one’s hands. This incident should not be treated as an ordinary community matter. It deserves public attention, proper investigation and a response from the relevant authorities.
The most disturbing aspect of incidents of this nature is the question of selective justice. Why should an individual or group assume the authority to determine who lives and who dies? Where is the judiciary, and what role do the police and other law enforcement agencies play when a person is accused of committing a crime?
These are questions the people of Ankpa deserve answers to.
No accusation, however serious, should become a licence to take another person’s life. If someone is suspected of stealing a cable or committing any other offence, the proper response is to apprehend the suspect, hand the individual over to the police, conduct an investigation and allow the courts to determine the case according to the law.
Even in major cities, suspects accused of armed robbery and other serious offences are often arrested and handed over to law enforcement agencies for investigation and prosecution. Why, then, should some communities resort to taking the law into their own hands?
It is time for us to unlearn the dangerous belief that community anger or the accusation of theft justifies instant punishment. We must relearn the importance of due process, respect for human life and the rule of law.
I am not writing this to defend stealing or excuse criminal behaviour. Theft is wrong, and anyone found guilty should face the appropriate legal consequences. However, there is a clear difference between demanding justice and committing another offence in the name of punishment.
Being a vigilante or community security operative does not automatically give anyone the authority to sentence a suspect to death. The responsibility of community security groups should be to protect lives, prevent crime and assist lawful security agencies, not to replace the police and the judiciary.
The circumstances surrounding the young boy’s death also deserve careful investigation. What exactly happened? Who was responsible? Was the suspect given an opportunity to defend himself? Were the appropriate authorities contacted? These questions must be answered through a transparent and impartial investigation rather than assumptions, rumours or selective judgement.
Beyond the immediate incident, we must also recognise the importance of addressing the social challenges affecting young people at the grassroots. Poverty, hunger, unemployment and frustration can contribute to some forms of crime, although they do not justify criminal behaviour. We cannot understand or address a problem effectively without examining its underlying causes.
This is why community journalism must receive greater attention. Local journalists are strategically positioned to report incidents affecting rural communities, amplify the voices of residents, promote public awareness and hold relevant authorities accountable. When incidents of alleged extrajudicial killing occur, responsible community reporting can help bring attention to the matter and encourage the authorities to act.
Silence should not become acceptance, and repeated incidents should never make unlawful killings appear normal.
The Kogi State Government, the police and other relevant authorities must take this matter seriously. There is a need for a thorough investigation, accountability for anyone found responsible and stronger measures to prevent similar incidents in the future. Community security operations must also be properly monitored to ensure that those entrusted with protecting lives do not abuse that responsibility.
Ankpa deserves peace, justice and security. Its young people deserve protection, and its residents deserve to live in a community where the law applies to everyone.
We cannot continue to demand justice when we are victims and abandon the same principle when another person is accused of wrongdoing. Justice must not depend on who is involved, where the incident occurs or what offence the suspect is alleged to have committed.
The death of this young boy must not be reduced to another passing conversation. It should serve as a wake-up call for community leaders, security agencies, journalists and the government to confront the dangers of mob justice and unlawful killings.
Let us speak out. Let us demand answers. Let us insist on justice through lawful means.
Ankpa must not become a place where accusations replace investigations and community anger replaces the authority of the courts. Every life matters, and no community should be allowed to normalise the unlawful taking of human life.
The time to act is now. Justice for the young boy. Protection for Ankpa’s youth. Peace and accountability for Ankpa, Kogi State.
– Idris Rufai
Email: idrisrufai744@gmail.com
