Lawyers, Activists Condemn Brutalisation Of Journalist

Some human rights activists and lawyers have described as barbaric the attack on a PUNCHman, Emmanuel Aigbodega, by some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority.
They said the incident was a symptom of a greater problem with the Nigerian system and urged policy reforms of the agency.
The lawyers, who insisted that a LASTMA officer had no right to arrest any individual, said assault was a criminal offence that was actionable.
PUNCH Metro had reported that 38-year-old Aigbodega, who was on night duty, was returning from work around 9.30am last Tuesday when he had an encounter with the officials.
A vehicle, which the victim had boarded on his way home, had been accused by the LASTMA men of allowing a traffic law violator escape.
The traffic officers had held the Edo State indigene after he alighted from the car, ordering him to enter their vehicle.
He was allegedly pummelled by the men, as passersby filmed the scene with their phones.
After the report, Nigerians condemned the action of the officers and demanded they be sanctioned.
The LASTMA spokesman, Mahmud Hassan, in a follow-up report, said the culprits had been withdrawn from duty, adding that the agency had commenced disciplinary action against them.
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Femi Falana, said the only way to end the impunity of human rights abuse was legal action.
“It has become a criminal offence in Nigeria to brutalise or torture any citizen. This may be a good case to insist on the prosecution of the LASTMA officials involved and PUNCH Newspapers should sue and claim damages for the victim,” he said.