By Edith Nwapi
The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) urged law enforcement officials on Saturday to respect the law.
Its Executive Secretary, Mr Tony Ojukwu made the call in Abuja while reacting to the invasion of the Federal High Court, Abuja on Dec. 6 by the operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to rearrest Omoyele Sowore who was earlier released by the same department.
Ojukwu said that the commission had watched with dismay the conduct of law enforcement officers in “facie curie“ on Friday Dec. 6 at the Federal High court Abuja.
He reiterated the need for law enforcement officials to understand that to qualify as law enforcement agents, they “must first of all be law abiding and not be above the law”.
“As officials paid with tax-payers’ money, there is no room for impunity and utter disregard for the constitution.
“Our democracy is founded on the principle of Separation of Powers and all citizens including law enforcement officials must understand the implications of that.
“They are enjoined to respect the law and the constitution in the enforcement of the law,” he said.
The NHRC executive secretary urged all the relevant agencies of government to arrest and try all law enforcement officers involved in the desecration of the hallowed chambers of the federal high court Dec. 6 for contempt in the face of the court.
He added that the concerned law enforcement officers should be tried so that it would serve “as a reminder to all law enforcement agents in carrying out their law enforcement duties they must obey the law”.
He said that law enforcement officials should be enforcing the law within the law.
“Impunity by law enforcement officials cannot be condoned in our democracy because impunity uproots the very foundations of our constitution and our democracy,” he said. (NAN )
