The Lagos House of Assembly on Monday, 5 Jujy, 2021, passed an amended version of the Criminal Justice Law of the state barring the police from henceforth parading suspects before the media.
The bill was passed at a sitting presided over by the Deputy Speaker, Wasiu Eshilokun-Sanni, on behalf of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. (Dr) Mudashiru Obasa.
Section 9(A) of the newly passed bill states: “As from the commencement of this law, the police shall refrain from parading any suspect before the media.”
The bill further stipulates conditions under which a policeman can arrest without warrant one of which is that a person must be reasonably suspected to unlawfully be in possession of firearms or other such dangerous instruments.
A subsection of the bill also barred the police or any other agency from arresting a person “in lieu of any other person in a criminal matter.”
The bill adds that a person who is arrested “shall be given reasonable facilities for obtaining legal advice, bail or making arrangements for defence or release.
The bill stipulates that a suspect should be “accorded humane treatment, with the right to dignity of person; not be subjected to any form of torture, cruel, inhumane or degrading treatment; be brought before the court as prescribed by this law or any other written law; or be released conditionally or unconditionally.”
After a voice vote, the Deputy Speaker directed the acting Clerk of the House, Mr. Olalekan Onafeko, to transmit the bill to the governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for assent.
