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Medical Negligence: Lagos Justice System Must be Applauded for Orji’s Conviction –Odefa-Wachuku
Following the conviction of Dr Ejike Orji for criminal negligence, Ms Adanma Odefa-Wachuku, a Lawyer and Public Health Advocate, says accolades must be showered upon the Lagos State Criminal Justice system for setting this novel precedence.
According to her, the conviction of Orji for criminal negligence arising from his reckless and dangerous practice of medicine is arguably the first time a registered medical practitioner would be so convicted in Nigeria.
Odefa-Wachuku, who spoke with the press on Tuesday, said the judgement was a watershed in medical jurisprudence in Nigeria.
“It hopefully opens the floodgate for many more successful prosecutions of reckless and negligent doctors who had hitherto carried on with impunity.
“Orji was to be arraigned and tried before the Disciplinary Tribunal in 2021, for the negligent and poor handling of Somtochukwu Ezi-Ashi, his patient.
“However, three attempts were stalled by his absence on a claim of ill health.
“He further stalled the case by filing an enforcement of fundamental right suit against the Tribunal at the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory.’’
While the professional case stalled at the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal, the DPP Lagos State continued with the prosecution of the criminal charge against Orji at the Lagos State High Court.
He was re-arraigned in February 2022, on one count of causing grievous bodily harm to Ezi-Ashi, two counts of endangering human life through reckless and negligent acts and three counts of breach of duty of person doing dangerous acts and endangering human life through reckless and dangerous acts in violation of sections 245, 251(1)(e), 209, 211 and 251(1)(e) respectively of the Criminal Law of Lagos State Cap C17 Laws of Lagos State 2015.
On Jan. 20, 2023, the court entered a verdict and convicted Orji on four of the six counts, and he was sentenced to one year in prison on each of the four counts.
Odefa-Wachuku, who wrote an article on the landmark case , “ The Enforceability of A Doctor’s Duty of Care In Nigeria: The Landmark Case of Dr. Ferdinand Ejike Orji’’, chronicles the genesis of the case.
She said the case emanated from a criminal complaint in 2018 against Orji by the parents of one Somtochukwu Ezi-Ashi, 16-year-old boy, who was a high school student in the United States of America at the time.
“He was on holiday at the time. On the 26th of July 2018, while playing basketball, he fell and sustained injury to his left leg, leading to what was later discovered to be a fracture of one of the bones in his left knee joint.
“He was rushed to Excel C Medical Centre in Ikoyi, Lagos, where Dr Ejike Orji, the Medical Director, sedated him.
“He had a police orderly and a basketball coach who accompanied him to pull the limb in opposite directions before he applied fiberglass on the left leg from the thigh to the toe.
“ He did not bother to get the consent of the child’s mother or x-rayed the leg to determine the nature of the fracture before manipulating the limb and applying the cast.
“Rather, the doctor only sent the patient for x-ray at another facility in Surulere, Lagos, after he had applied the cast.’’
She said: “As the effect of the sedative wore off, the patient started complaining of pain and tightness on the leg where the cast was applied.
“His mother called Dr Orji, who had left the hospital before she returned from the X-ray facility with the patient, to complain of her son’s experience but the doctor told her that the pain would stop within two days.
“On the strength of this assurance, the woman went home with the patient only to return to the hospital the next morning with the patient because he could not sleep during the night due to the pain.
“She requested that the cast be removed but Orji only cut open a square hole in the back of the knee and asked them to go home.
“At home the patient’s mother noticed fluid oozing out from the opened space. So, she took him back to the hospital the following day- July 28, 2018.
“The patient was admitted for one day at the hospital and Orji removed part of the cast.
“Yet, there was no improvement as the limb remained swollen. By this time, the patient had lost sensation in the limb.’’
In her article, Odefa-Wachuku said the father of the victim contacted two orthopaedic surgeons to seek their opinion on what to do for the patient.
It turned out that Ezi-Ashi had developed compartment syndrome precipitated by occlusion of blood supply to the limb for more than 48 hours by the tight cast.
“Six surgical interventions had to be carried out on Somtochukwu Ezi-Ashi at Reddington Hospital, Lagos, before he was flown out to the U.S. where he had several other operations to save the limb.
“The limb was saved but he developed foot drop – difficulty lifting the front part of the foot.
“The Police conducted an investigation and submitted to the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) who filed charges against Dr Ejike Orji in the Lagos State High Court.’’
Odefa-Wachuku went further to explain that aside from the criminal complaint to the police, the patient’s mother also lodged a complaint with the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Investigation Panel in March 2019 against Orji.
According to her, she alleges the conduct of Orji in the management of her son’s condition is that of negligence.
“The panel conducted an investigation of the complaint from March 2019 through November 2020.
“The investigation involved four other doctors at Excel C Medical Centre, including Dr Ifeyinwa Grace – the paediatrician who had hitherto attended to the patient from his childhood.
“And five doctors at Reddington Hospital who attended to the patient, including Dr Ike Nwachukwu who performed the six surgical operations on him at Reddington Hospital.’’
The complainant and the respondents appeared before the panel where they had the opportunity to clarify affidavit depositions and other documentary evidence including the patient’s case notes they had submitted to the panel.
“The record of proceedings of the investigation obtained by the complainant from the panel shows that members of the panel questioned the doctors extensively on the propriety of their actions in the treatment of the patient.
Odefa-Wachuku in her article said the Panel determined that there was evidence of misconduct in a professional respect against Orji and Nwachukwu and referred each of them to the Disciplinary Tribunal for adjudication.
At the Disciplinary Tribunal, the Panel preferred five counts charge against Orji and on Jan. 20, 2023, the court entered a verdict and convicted Orji on four of the six counts.
He was sentenced to one year in prison on each of the four counts.
Odefa-Wachuku said the judgement showed that the prosecution made copious use of the records of the case they were able to obtain by subpoena from the Medical and Dental Practitioners Investigation Panel in marshalling the medical evidence against the defendant.
“They were able to call as witnesses orthopaedic surgeons who participated in the treatment of the victim after he had developed the complication of compartment syndrome.’’
Relating the commitment and dedication of the medical profession to Ezi-Ashi’s case, Odefa-Wachuku, explained in details the demands of the medical profession in her article.
Quoting The Oxford Textbook of Medicine, she said: “Medicine is described as the science and practice of caring for patients, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health.
“ Medicine encompasses a variety of practices intended to maintain and restore health by prevention and treatment of diseases.’’
According to her, medicine is an essential part of the human experience.
“This is so because the doctor or one of his several professional aides is usually present at some point in the life of a person from the womb to the deathbed.
“ The profession of medicine evolves as humankind evolves and advances.
“ Advances in the biological and physical sciences have been applied to medicine, leading to great improvements in the longevity and quality of life of people on Earth.
“In the course of providing care to their patients, doctors carry out delicate and dangerous procedures that could very easily go awry.
“ They prescribe medication that could produce a plethora of potentially dangerous side effects.
“Mistakes could cause death and life changing consequences.
“Unqualified practitioners, commonly referred to as quacks, cause great harm to hapless persons who access their service.
“They maim, dispossess and even cause death of these unsuspecting members of the public.’’
Odefa-Wachuku said that medicine had been subject of some forms of regulation or the other from antiquity.
“The Hippocratic Oath of antiquity, Avicenna’s Canon of Medicine of the medieval period, and Thomas Parcival’s Medical Ethics of 1803 are attempts at the regulation of the medical profession.
“These were more or less professional mores enforced by professional societies and medical schools.
“ Developments in the modern era have made it necessary for society to make statutory provisions to tightly regulate the profession of medicine to ensure public safety without impinging on doctors’ ability to practice and advance the profession for the benefit of the society.
“The Apothecaries Act passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom in 1815 exemplifies this.
“The State makes laws, rules and regulations to control the education and training of persons who seek to become doctors, determine the minimum qualification for registration and a strict code of conduct for practitioners of the profession.
“ Aside from the purely professional provisions, the State also makes laws to deal with persons who practice medicine illegally or in a manner that is careless, reckless and causes harm to members of the public.’’
According to Odefa-Wachuku, in Nigeria, the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Act (MDPA) is the main piece of legislation for the regulation of medicine. The Federal Parliament first enacted it in 1963.
She explained it was repealed and re-enacted in 1988, and amended in 1992.
“The MDPA established the Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria (MDCN) and vested it with the authority to regulate medical education, registration and licensing of medical doctors and promulgation of a code of conduct for the practice of the profession in Nigeria.
“The MDPA also criminalises the practice of medicine in Nigeria by persons who are not registered as medical practitioners.
“The MDPA also established two other professional bodies for the purposes of disciplining persons registered to practice medicine in Nigeria. They are the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Investigation Panel and the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal.
“The Investigation Panel is vested with the mandate of conducting an interim investigation into any case where it is alleged that a doctor misbehaved in a professional respect.
“If for any other reason, the doctor would be subject of proceedings before the Medical and Dental Practitioners’ Disciplinary Tribunal.
“They review allegations of misconduct against doctors that are not criminal in nature with a view to determining if the evidence suggests that the doctor in question actually acted in a manner that violates the code of conduct for doctors.’’
She said if they made the determination that there was such evidence against a doctor, the doctor would be referred to the Disciplinary Tribunal for trial.
“The panel may make an order of interim suspension of a doctor they have investigated if they are convinced that allowing such a doctor to continue practising poses danger to the public.
“ Where the Disciplinary Tribunal gives a guilty verdict, it could mete out three possible sanctions: admonishment, suspension from the profession and outright erasure from the Medical Register.’’
She, however, said that the verdicts of the Disciplinary Tribunal were subject to appeal before the Court of Appeal and ultimately the Supreme Court.
She cited instances where doctors who had been sanctioned by the Disciplinary Tribunal had severally taken advantage of the right of appeal.
“From as early as 1959 when Dr Alakija had the order of the Disciplinary Tribunal for the erasure of his name from the Medical Register upturned by the Supreme Court to 2001 when Dr Okonkwo had a similar order against him upturned.
“These cases and several other similar ones have helped to expand jurisprudence in professional discipline in Nigeria.
“However, the quests for justice by persons who are aggrieved by doctors’ malpractice have remained mostly unfulfilled especially in criminal justice.’’
Odefa-Wachuku noted that the Laws of the Federation of Nigeria have had the Criminal Code Act since 1916 and the Penal Code Act since 1960.
She said that both statutes had provisions against the careless and reckless practice of medicine in the sections dealing with criminal negligence.
“Nigeria’s socio-political history has advanced significantly from what it was in the colonial and early post-independence days and Nigeria is now a federation of 36 states and a federal capital territory.
“ In pursuance of the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, the state houses of assembly have passed versions of the Criminal Code Act or Penal Code Act as state laws.
“Very prominent among these is the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2015.’’
On the background of all the foregoing, it is very difficult to find any record of a successful conviction of a registered medical practitioner in Nigeria for a criminal offence arising from their practise of the profession.
She said that one of the reasons for this was the fact that medicine is a very highly technical profession which is extremely difficult for non-doctors to comprehend to the extent of being opaque.
“This necessarily makes it a largely self-regulated profession in most parts of the world.
“ It also means that the determination of wrongdoing against a doctor depends on the professional evidence of his peers.
“ This was amply demonstrated in the trial of Michael Jackson’s doctor, Dr Conrad Murray.
“ In June 2009 Dr Conrad Murray, a cardiologist, administered an anaesthetic agent, propofol, as a drip to Jackson at his home to help him sleep and left him without proper monitoring.
“ Propofol is supposed to be administered by anaesthesiologists and critical care specialists.
“ Murray’s specialty, cardiology, did not confer such specialist skills on him. He was charged with involuntary manslaughter. ‘’
She said: “To convict him, the prosecution had to bring doctors who are specialists in anaesthesiology and critical care medicine to testify in court on what the accepted practice was in the United States.
“After a drawn out trial Dr Conrad Murray was convicted and sentenced to four years in jail.
“ His license to practice medicine was revoked by the Texas Medical Board.
“It had been quite difficult to get such evidence in Nigeria until recently in the case of Lagos State vs Dr. Ferdinand Ejike Orji,’’ she said.
Odefa-Wachuku recalled that Orji was asked several questions like what informed his decision to manipulate the limb without first x-raying it to determine the nature of the fracture but his answers were not satisfactory.
She said that copy of the report of the investigation obtained by the complainant showed that
Orji was a general and paediatric surgeon and not an orthopaedic surgeon.
“ Orji applied fiberglass cast on the patient at Excel C Medical Centre before he was sent for X-Ray elsewhere.
“There is no evidence that appropriate consent was sought and obtained from the patient or his parents by Dr Ejike Orji.
“The patient developed swelling and pain on the left leg after the application of the fiberglass cast and when Orji was informed he only made a square opening in the popliteal area to relieve the pain.
“He ultimately converted the cast to back slab after the father of the patient requested him to remove the cast.
“The patient was discharged from Excel C Medical Centre in a worse condition before his parents took him to other hospitals for treatment.’’
Nwachukwu attended to the patient as an orthopaedic surgeon at Reddington Hospital and made a diagnosis of compartment syndrome.
He treated the patient until he was airlifted for further treatment in the US.
Consequently, Odefa-Wachuku urged other states to borrow a leaf from Lagos and stand in the gap for hapless patients who suffered untold physical pain and mental trauma as a result of reckless negligence in the hands of healthcare practitioners.(NAN)
By Rachea Abuja
In Nigeria, estimates from the National AIDS, STIs and Hepatitis Control Programme (NASCP) show that 8.1 per cent of adults aged 15–64 live with hepatitis B, and 1.1 per cent with hepatitis C.On a worrisome note, more than 80 per cent of those infected are unaware of their status, enabling the virus to spread silently, in homes, hospitals, and correctional facilities.
Public health experts say correctional centres are among the highest-risk environments for viral hepatitis due to overcrowding, unsafe medical practices, limited access to testing, and stigma. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), viral hepatitis, particularly types B and C, is a global public health threat that kills approximately 1.3 million people each year, making it second only to tuberculosis among infectious diseases.In spite of its deadly toll, hepatitis is often overlooked, especially in low- and middle-income countries like Nigeria.More than 91 million people in the WHO African region live with hepatitis B or C, representing 26 per cent of the global burden.Shared razor blades, contaminated injection equipment, and poor sanitation all contribute to the spread.When 34-year-old Malam Musa Danladi was arrested, tried and sentenced in 2022, he knew prison would be tough; but what he did not expect was that a place of punishment would become a place of diagnosis, for a disease he had never heard of.“They called me to the clinic one morning; I was confused; the nurse said I had hepatitis B; I did not even know what that meant.”He is one of thousands of Nigerians living with viral hepatitis, a disease that often shows no symptoms until it causes irreversible damage to the liver.Danladi is also among the few who discovered their status within prison walls.“We used to share everything, razors, clippers, even toothbrushes; Nobody told us we were at risk.“Incarcerated people face a triple burden: poverty, stigma, and disease, with few resources or pathways to care,” Danladi said.In a bid to reverse this trend, the Nigerian government, in July, unveiled Project 365, a year-long national campaign to test, treat, and vaccinate millions of Nigerians for hepatitis, including those in prison settings.The unveiling coincided with World Hepatitis Day, with the theme: “Hepatitis Can’t Wait- Test. Treat. Eliminate.”According to Prof. Muhammad Ali Pate, Coordinating Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Nigeria is losing between ₦10.3 trillion and ₦17.9 trillion annually to hepatitis-related productivity and healthcare costs.“Project 365 is about saving lives and saving our economy,” he said.Pate said that the project 365 aimed to screen every federal constituency in Nigeria, totaling 360, and to deliver curative treatment for hepatitis C as well as vaccination for hepatitis B.He said it also sought to expand outreach to prisons, internally displaced persons (IDP) camps, rural communities, and other underserved regions.The minister said it would ensure sustainable financing for testing and treatment, and the initiative established the Viral Elimination Fund (VEL).Additionally, he said that the project 365 would promote local production of hepatitis diagnostics and medications, supported by tax incentives and regulatory reforms, to reduce reliance on imports.At Kuje Medium Security Custodial Centre, a pilot hepatitis programme under the Viral Hepatitis Action in Correctional Services screened 830 inmates between December 2024 and June 2025.Dr Ibrahim Ehizogie, a clinician with the Nigerian Correctional Services, said that many inmates were already infected with the disease while in custody.Ehizogie said that the programme was now being scaled across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, with a target to reach all 300 custodial centres in the country.However, experts warn that without continued funding, education, and policy enforcement, these gains may be short-lived.According the 2024 INHSU Global Guideline on the Elimination of Hepatitis C in Prisons, incarcerated individuals have the same right to healthcare as the general population, and that denying hepatitis services in custody violates international human rights standards.The guideline recommends that inmates should be tested and initiated on treatment within seven days of incarceration.It also emphasises the integration of harm reduction services, such as safe injection practices and opioid substitution therapy, to reduce transmission.Furthermore, the guideline advocates for peer-led education and community-based screening models to increase uptake and reduce stigma, and stress the importance of ensuring continuity of care upon release, so that individuals can maintain their treatment and health outside prison walls.Dr Mya Ngon, WHO Team Lead for Communicable and Non-Communicable Diseases, commended Nigeria’s efforts.Ngon said that screening must be linked to treatment, and treatment must be linked to continuity of care, even after prison.Since his release, Daladi has become a community advocate, telling others about hepatitis, its transmission, and the importance of testing.“I did not die in prison; so, I want to use my voice; people need to know it is not a death sentence; you can treat it; you can live; but stigma remains.“Some people say I brought prison sickness home; some would not even shake my hand,” he said.According to him, at present, he works in his community to support reintegration and health education, urged the government to expand outreach to ex-inmates and low-income communities.In spite of the progress of Project 365, experts identify critical gaps in Nigeria’s hepatitis response; they say female inmates and pregnant women in custody are often excluded from routine hepatitis screening, leaving a critical gap in care.Prof Taiwo Lateef, Professor at ABU and Africa Lead for Lifeline International, said that harm reduction services, such as access to sterile injecting equipment or safe drug treatment options, were largely absent in correctional centres.In many cases, Lateef noted that the continuity of treatment after release remained uncertain, making long-term management of the disease difficult.He said that youth offenders and first-time detainees typically received little to no education on hepatitis prevention, increasing their vulnerability.Lateef said that Nigeria did not have a national hepatitis registry for prisons, making it challenging to track disease prevalence, monitor treatment coverage, or evaluate outcomes in custodial settings.Dr Adebola Bashorun, National Coordinator for NASCP, said that without structured data and legal protections, prison health reform would remain incomplete.Bashorun said that Nigeria’s hepatitis elimination strategy was ambitious and commendable.He said that success would require multisectoral partnerships, political will, and a people-first approach.According to, Dr Titilola Munkail, Technical Officer at Africa CDC, one cannot talk about ending hepatitis if one ignores people behind bars.Munkail said that prisons were not separate from public health.“They are central to it,” he said.As Nigeria races toward the 2030 elimination goal, stakeholders urge the government, civil society, and citizens to act.They say there is need for the government to institutionalise hepatitis services in all correctional facilities and primary healthcare centres (PHCs) to ensure consistent and equitable access to care. (NANFeatures)
By Obi Light Ogbonnia
Sickle Cell Disease (SCD), a hereditary blood disorder affecting millions worldwide, is especially prevalent in Nigeria, where over 150,000 children are born with the condition annually. Many do not live past the age of five due to poor access to quality healthcare, lack of awareness, and stigmatization.
For those who survive, the journey is often one of pain, crisis, and repeated hospitalization.While medical science continues to make commendable strides through bone marrow transplants, hydroxyurea, and advanced diagnostics, it is clear that clinical solutions alone are not enough. A comprehensive, holistic care model is urgently needed, one that views the patient not just as a set of symptoms, but as a whole person deserving of dignity, compassion, and support.
What is Holistic Care in SCD?
Holistic care is a patient-centered approach that addresses the physical, emotional, psychological, spiritual, nutritional, and social aspects of life. In the context of sickle cell disease, this means going beyond medications and crises to provide wraparound care that sustains both body and spirit.
Key components include: Effective pain management (both medical and non-pharmacological), Mental health support (counseling, therapy, peer support), Nutrition and hydration guidance, Faith-based and spiritual care, Family and caregiver education, Community awareness and social empowerment and Managing Pain Beyond the Hospital Bed
For many warriors, pain crises are the most debilitating part of SCD. While analgesics and opioids are standard treatments, integrating heat therapy, meditation, music, art therapy, massage, and breathing exercises can significantly reduce frequency and severity of pain episodes. These methods also help reduce emotional trauma and dependence on medication.
Mental and Emotional Health: The Invisible Crisis
The psychological impact of SCD, especially depression, anxiety, and social isolation, is often ignored. Many warriors, especially adolescents, suffer in silence. Incorporating professional counseling and trauma-informed therapy within SCD clinics can make a life-saving difference.
Support groups, storytelling platforms, and psychosocial interventions can empower warriors to share, heal, and thrive.
Food, Faith, and Lifestyle
Good nutrition is not a luxury for warriors, it is essential. Diets rich in folate, vitamins, fruits, vegetables, and adequate hydration help in blood formation and crisis prevention. Alongside this, moderate exercise, adequate rest, and temperature regulation are vital.
For many, faith remains an anchor. Whether through prayer, pastoral care, or spiritual counseling, holistic care honors the emotional strength that comes from belief and community.
Families: The First Line of Care
No warrior walks alone. Family members—especially mothers—often carry the burden of care without support or training. We must empower caregivers with knowledge, resources, and rest. Providing community-based education programs, crisis response training, and emotional support for caregivers is a cornerstone of holistic health.
A Call to Action for Policymakers and Society
Holistic care must become part of national policy. We urge the Nigerian government and health institutions to:
Invest in multidisciplinary SCD care centers
Train and employ social workers, psychologists, nutritionists, and pastoral caregivers
Include mental health and alternative therapies in national health insurance coverage
Fund grassroots awareness and education campaigns
Conclusion: From Surviving to Thriving
As a 51-year-old sickle cell warrior myself, I speak from lived experience: sickle cell disorder does not define us. With the right support, we can live full, joyful, productive lives. Holistic care is not an ideal—it is an urgent necessity.
The Obi Ogbonnia Sickle Cell Foundation was born from this conviction—to raise awareness, provide support, and advocate for those who cannot fight alone. We invite governments, NGOs, faith-based organizations, and individuals to partner with us in this mission.
Let us not allow another warrior to perish due to lack of compassion, knowledge, or access. Let us create a new future—where every sickle cell warrior lives with dignity, wellness, and hope.
Obi Light Ogbonnia is the Founder, Obi Ogbonnia Sickle Cell Foundation, info@ooscf.com, +2348057157133, www.ooscf.org.ng
By Sale Rusulana Yanguruza
Nigeria has today counted and witnessed multiple killings of innocent people and bombings of citizens on the roads from different angles in the South and some Northern parts of Nigeria. Unfortunately, none of the perpetrators have been brought to face the wrath of the law.
In less than two months, 16 hunters were killed by mob youth in Uromi, Enugu State, and the details about those arrested and suspects are still undisclosed to the members of the public.
Their families and the Hausa people are mourning the death of these innocent individuals who were brutally killed, but the silence of the government is devastating. Even the compensation that Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf promised and requested from the Edo State government is still unclear to the members of the public.The most devastating aspect of the road killings is that most of the victims are Hausa or Muslim, simply because they are from the North. How can traveling on the roads be a reason to kill a citizens? Why are Hausa and Muslim individuals always the victims ? Is it only hausa people traveling by the road in Nigeria?
Even though the answers that these youths usually give is that Fulani and terrorists are killing them overnight, that is not a reason to block roads and kill innocent people. They should know that Zamfara, Katsina, Kaduna, Niger, and Borno States are facing insecurity challenges like kidnapping, Boko Haram and Fulani clashes for over a decade, but none of the people from these states view a particular tribe or religion as the cause and use roads to kill innocent people.This act should be stop!
No doubt, Constitutionally, every individual in this country is entitled to move anywhere and leave wherever he/she wish to leave but unfortunately for Hausa and some Muslim individuals, traveling by road seems to be considered a sin by some youth, leading to serious punishment, which is barbaric killings by their so-called fellow citizens who do not have emotional feel for human being and their compatriots citizens .
I believe that in Nigeria, no tribe is exempt from traveling from one place to another. However, it’s saddening and regrettable that the Hausa people are disproportionately affected and become victims of road killings, and the government is still yet to take necessary actions to deal with such inhumane and unfathomable actions carried out by some groups.
The most terrible and gruesome aspect of such acts is that every day, the situation rises to an unbearable and unacceptable level. It’s imperative and necessary for the government to end these ongoing road killings before it will escalate to an uncontrollable level.
The government shouldn’t limit its activities to only condemning and sending condolence messages to the families victims of these inhumane and unfathomable killing of innocent people; actions must be taken, and the punishment of those involved in such road killings must be brought to public eyes.
No doubt, swift punishment would aid in reducing these ethno-religious killings in the country and would serve as a reference and warning to such mob groups that the government is prioritizing and exercising its constitutional duties as a government in protecting the lives of its citizens who are brutally killed and burned.
Doubtless, Most of the victims are from Kano State, where the majority of travelers from all 36 states enter the state everyday to carry out their business activities, considering the state as a center of commerce. Still, none of the travelers from other ethnic groups were killed and burnt in Kano. Why do some groups choose to reward these people with the killings of their own brothers and sisters ?
It’s very alarming to note the numbers of Northerners killed simply because they’re traveling is rising every month, with no concrete reasons to justify their offenses, but merely due to their identity as Northern Muslims or Hausa by tribe. Additionally, Truck drivers have continuously faced these killings over the past eight years, yet no actions have been taken to avert further escalation and end it permanently.
In one editorial written by a popular newspaper in Nigeria, it’s reported that over 50 drivers have been killed and even burned their goods with some still missing due to this animalistic attitude of road killings. In May 2022, a pregnant woman, Harira Jubril, 32, and her four children were killed in the Orumba South Local Government Area of Anambra State. Even those who committed this act haven’t faced the wrath of the law.
One may ask: Is the government truly ready to end these barbaric killings that keep surging towards a particular or specific religion or tribe? Regrettably, in 2023, a group of mob killed about 20 people who were going for religious activities. All of them are Muslims. But who are the suspects, where are they, and what actions has the government taken on the perpetrators?
The people who killed those going to Maulud are the same people who recently killed those going for a wedding in a University Bus carrying the name of Ahmadu Bello University Zaria written in bold with a plate number to stop them and killed and burnt the car . What offense do they commit? How can a University bus carry terrorists and travel on the roads? The most disheartening aspect of these barbaric and animalistic acts is that they’re killing and burning people and still celebrating the deaths of these individuals; taking video footage-How heartless!
Do you think the government punishes those who killed the people going for Maulud, the Uromi 16, Harira Jubril and her four children, in public? The mob group would never dare attempt to do it again, sadly what is happening now is worrisome because the inactions is making the situation to take another dimension.They may believe that since several incidents, no actions have been taken to punish and bring them to book publicly, so it’s okay to repeat it again.May be it’s for this reason, recently, some of the mob group from Benue state killed Jamilu Ahmad and Barhama Suleiman who are from Kano State just in less than a week plateau group killed 13 and injured others.
Advisedly, the government and stakeholders must come up with security strategies and measures that will bring an end to these road killings. This can be achieved by updating the public about those arrested and who committed this animalistic act, to bring them to book and let the world know they have been punished.It’s notable that they celebrate the killing of people, take videos, and share them publicly, showcasing what they’ve done. If they can confidently act in such a manner, why is the government not updating the public about what happened to them after they’ve been arrested and taken to court?
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