NBA Benin Expresses Shock Over Suspects’ Escape From Custody

The Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday
expressed shock and disappointment over reports of the escape of
kidnap and armed robbery suspects from the custody of the police in
Benin City.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Pius Oiwoh and
Secretary, Andrew Lawani, respectively, the body of lawyers asked
the authorities to immediately work towards apprehending the
escapees and punish anyone found culpable in aiding their
escape.

The organisation noted that the development was not only capable
of soiling the public image of the state, but it was also
unacceptable, coming less than three months after the last
jailbreak.

“The NBA, Benin branch notes with mind boggling astonishment and
an unwanted but a deep sense of foreboding the most unwelcome new
year 2021 news of the escape of kidnapping and armed robbery
suspects from the custody of the Edo State Police Command Criminal
Investigation Department (CID), Benin City.

“This is the second time in the space of three months that Edo
State will be in the news for jailbreaks. This does not do any good
for our dear state.

“While it is the wish of all of us who love our beloved Edo
State that we should be in the headlines, we do not wish that our
dear state should be in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

“These negative headlines have the Siamese effect of damaging
our reputation as a peaceful, loving, hardworking and welcoming
people and also scaring would-be investors from tapping into the
potential of our dear state,” the lawyers maintained.

They noted that as members of a profession committed to
upholding the rule of law, all those found to have abetted the
suspected criminals in their escape must be punished.

“Let us state without equivocation that while totally condemning
the circumstances which led to this recent cell break, we demand
that all the escapees be urgently traced and brought back to lawful
custody and that their accomplices who have aided and abetted this
most heinous of offences be brought to book forthwith.

“In the branch’s new year message, the bar had committed itself
to joining efforts with other well meaning individuals to address
the rampant insecurity situation in the state.

“The bar wishes to use this opportunity to restate that
commitment and to state that the challenge we face in our state is
one which requires that all hands be on deck to solve the
situation.

“This is not the time for the agencies in charge of our security
to suppress information but to adopt a combative approach in
dealing with would-be collaborators who have by their actions made
our state unsafe.

“We enjoin the agencies responsible for keeping us safe to
collaborate with all men and women of goodwill to prevent our state
from descending into the Hobbesian state of nature where life is
short, nasty and brutish,” the association noted.

Meanwhile, the state police command has confirmed the rearrest
of the two of the suspect who escaped.

The Benin Branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) yesterday
expressed shock and disappointment over reports of the escape of
kidnap and armed robbery suspects from the custody of the police in
Benin City.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mr Pius Oiwoh and
Secretary, Andrew Lawani, respectively, the body of lawyers asked
the authorities to immediately work towards apprehending the
escapees and punish anyone found culpable in aiding their
escape.

The organisation noted that the development was not only capable
of soiling the public image of the state, but it was also
unacceptable, coming less than three months after the last
jailbreak.

“The NBA, Benin branch notes with mind boggling astonishment and
an unwanted but a deep sense of foreboding the most unwelcome new
year 2021 news of the escape of kidnapping and armed robbery
suspects from the custody of the Edo State Police Command Criminal
Investigation Department (CID), Benin City.

“This is the second time in the space of three months that Edo
State will be in the news for jailbreaks. This does not do any good
for our dear state.

“While it is the wish of all of us who love our beloved Edo
State that we should be in the headlines, we do not wish that our
dear state should be in the headlines for the wrong reasons.

“These negative headlines have the Siamese effect of damaging
our reputation as a peaceful, loving, hardworking and welcoming
people and also scaring would-be investors from tapping into the
potential of our dear state,” the lawyers maintained.

They noted that as members of a profession committed to
upholding the rule of law, all those found to have abetted the
suspected criminals in their escape must be punished.

“Let us state without equivocation that while totally condemning
the circumstances which led to this recent cell break, we demand
that all the escapees be urgently traced and brought back to lawful
custody and that their accomplices who have aided and abetted this
most heinous of offences be brought to book forthwith.

“In the branch’s new year message, the bar had committed itself
to joining efforts with other well meaning individuals to address
the rampant insecurity situation in the state.

“The bar wishes to use this opportunity to restate that
commitment and to state that the challenge we face in our state is
one which requires that all hands be on deck to solve the
situation.

“This is not the time for the agencies in charge of our security
to suppress information but to adopt a combative approach in
dealing with would-be collaborators who have by their actions made
our state unsafe.

“We enjoin the agencies responsible for keeping us safe to
collaborate with all men and women of goodwill to prevent our state
from descending into the Hobbesian state of nature where life is
short, nasty and brutish,” the association noted.

Meanwhile, the state police command has confirmed the rearrest
of the two of the suspect who escaped.