Lagos Commissioner Wahab Goofs, Uploads Video Showing Environmental Officers Beating Up, Dehumanising Suspected Offenders

Tokunbo Wahab, the Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources in Lagos State, posted a video on his X (formerly Twitter) account showing personnel from the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps physically assaulting suspected offenders.

The action, according to SaharaReporters, is against the “United Nations Treaty Against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment” adopted by Nigeria.

Also, section one of the “Anti-Torture Act” in Nigeria imposes an obligation on the government and law enforcement agencies to ensure that all persons, including suspects, detainees and prisoners are always respected and that no person under investigation or held in custody is subjected to any form of physical or mental torture.

The Anti-Torture Act 2017 was passed by the 8th National Assembly and signed into law by former President Mohammadu Buhari on 29th December 2017.

However, the video posted by Wahab showed personnel of the state environmental sanitation Corps, Lagos Neighborhood Watch, Environmental Health Officers, and the Lagos State Environmental Taskforce team physically assaulting suspected offenders during a raid on Wednesday.

“In a continued effort to curb environmental violations in the state, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI), in collaboration with the Lagos Neighborhood Watch, Environmental Health Officers, and the Lagos State Environmental Taskforce team, yesterday, raided Obalende and environ,” the commissioner had captioned the video and some pictures while posting on his X page.

“Several miscreants were arrested while the agency successfully secured the conviction of 12 individuals involved in commercial sex work. They were sentenced to 8 months in prison for charges related to prostitution and breach of peace.”

In a continued effort to curb environmental violations in the state, the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps @LAGESCOfficial (KAI), in collaboration with the Lagos Neighborhood Watch, Environmental Health Officers, and the Lagos State Environmental Taskforce team,… pic.twitter.com/gvAymtEdZs

— Tokunbo Wahab (@tokunbo_wahab) October 3, 2024

Reacting to the video, Ridwan Oke, a Lagos-based lawyer while condemning the action asked the authorities to look into it.

He said, “Honourable Commissioner @tokunbo_wahab, between 00:45 seconds to 01:00 in the video you posted (first frame), one of your officers was seen slapping and beating up the suspects arrested.

"One of the suspects, particularly, the second victim was not resisting arrest but yet, your officer was seen exhibiting unnecessary force by slapping and beating him. Now:

“1. This is contrary to our laws prohibiting torture, intimidation and inhumane treatment of suspected offenders.

“2. It goes a lot to address the training and handling of offenders by the officers.

“3. Such officer will do worse and abuse their powers if they had the opportunity. Kindly look into it and ensure this is not the norm. Thank you.”

Honourable Commissioner @tokunbo_wahab , between 00:45 seconds to 01:00 in the video you posted (first frame), one of your officers was seen slapping and beating up the suspects arrested. One of the suspects, particularly, the second victim was not resisting arrest but yet, your… https://t.co/mRKpVUVeLU

— Ridwan Oke (@Ridwanullahii) October 3, 2024

Cases of brutality and assault by law enforcement officers against Nigerians are not new.

This led to a massive shutdown of the country in October 2020 when the youths protested against police brutality and called for the disbandment of the now-defunct SARS, formerly a police unit.

Aside from the UN treaty, Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that “every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person.”

It also provides that no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment.

The country also has the National Human Rights Commission, a body charged to deal with matters relating to the protection of human rights as guaranteed by the Constitution.

While Nigeria ratified the International Covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR) in 1993, the Convention against Torture (CAT) in 2001, and the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture (OPCAT) in 2009, they are yet to be integrated into the local laws.