The Centre for Law and Civil Culture, CLCC, has described as executive recklessness, the destruction of some private hotels on the order of Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State.
The group, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary and Publicity Secretary, Abdul Ganeey Imran and Deborah Okpanachi respectively, likened the action of the governor to that of hooligans who usually take laws into their hands and at will set ablaze armed robbery suspect without giving them room to be heard.
Wike demolished the hotels for allegedly violating the lockdown order in the state aimed at preventing the spread of coronavirus.
The statement condemning Wike’s action reads: “The attention of Centre for Law and Civil Culture (CLCC) has been drawn to the unfortunate and pathetic video circulating on social media and which has also been reported in some electronic and print media depicting how the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike desecrates the prestigious office of the governor when he personally took law into his hand by supervising, monitoring, directing and ensuring the demolition of private hotels of innocent citizens of Rivers State who were alleged to have violated the lockdown order/directives in Rivers State.
“This untoward action as depicted in the viral video is nothing but an ‘act of executive recklessness’.
“The CLCC therefore, condemns this in very strong terms and advise Governor of Rivers State to desist from any further act of lawlessness. It is jungle justice which is unknown to our law.
“CLCC further notes that the action of Rivers State governor in this circumstance, could be likened to the attitude of the hooligans who usually takes law into their hands and could at will, set ablaze armed robbery suspect without giving them room to be heard, a case that at best, could be likened to extra judicial killings.
“It, therefore, clearly shows that Governor Nyesom Wike could do the same if he finds himself in a similar situation.
“The point we are making here is that a governor cannot kill a citizen simply because he witnessed how that citizen killed his fellow citizens; the proper approach would have been for the governor to insist on the rule of law to be followed.
“The twin pillar of natural justice has always been audi alteram partem and nemo judex in causa sua – that (1) you must hear the other party and (2), you cannot be a judge in your own cause.
“Thus, Governor Nyesom Wike has violated and contravened this twin pillars of justice.
“To us at the Centre for Law and Civil Culture, the purported defense put up by the governor is purely an afterthought which is unsustainable and indefensible under our law.
“CLCC therefore calls on the Human Rights Commission, and the Attorney General of Federation and Minister of Justice to wade in immediately and put Governor Nyesom Wike and other security agencies who have in one way or the other violated the constitutional rights of our dear citizens across the country (all in the bid of preventing the spread of COVID-19) in check so as to avoid a complete state of chaos and anarchy.”
