RETIRED AIG CAUTIONS AGAINST INJUSTICE TO THE POOR

REPORTER: UCHE NDEKE

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone 13 Ukpo, Mr. Umar Muri, has expressed concern over the delay in serving justice to criminals in the country.

The AIG, who stated this in an event to mark his retirement from the force, said the delay had contributed to the high rate of crime and criminality across the nation.

Mr. Muri said even though justice delivery begins with the police, the slow nature of trials by the judiciary sector has made it impossible to serve justice to many criminals.

According to the AIG, serving justice to criminals would serve as deterrent to others intending to join criminal ventures.

“Every justice administration starts with the Nigeria Police Force, but unfortunately, in the judiciary, justice delivery is very slow.

“Once a Judge is transferred, cases remain stunted and crime continues to fester. But if people are served justice, it could be a deterrent to others,” Mr. Muri complained.

The AIG noted that the police needed to do their job very well while the judiciary should ensure that justice must always be served within three months so that the country could be better.

While admonishing younger officers to always emulate the good habits of the higher officers, the AIG noted that the worst injustice to serve is to a poor man.

“If you serve injustice to a rich man, he will use his wealth to open other doors to gain justice, but the poor will simply say, ‘God punish you’ and God will surely punish you, and God will not fail to hear them.”

The retired AIG, who was described by many, including the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, Mr. Echeng Echeng and his Enugu State Command counterpart, Mr. Ahmed Ammani, as a forthright police officer, retired after serving the force for 32 years.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU