Attacked #ENDSARS witness sets a bad precedent

When Kamsiyochukwu Ibe testified at the recently concluded Lagos state judicial panel for END SARS, she would not have imagined that it would mean having to look behind her shoulders whenever she appeared in public. 

That seems to be the reality that has now been imposed on her since an attempt was made on her life as stated by her on Twitter on Monday. She reported that machete wounds were inflicted on her by unknown persons on Sunday evening. 

The unidentified attackers, she said, insisted that she had to bear the brunt of their fury since she was bold enough to give testimony in front of the constituted panel. 

This ignoble act is probably meant to drive fear into the hearts of young Nigerians who are so passionate to get justice for their slain counterparts who were murdered at the Lekki Toll Gate venue of their protests.

The quest for justice in a country like Nigeria is already riddled with inefficiencies that are due to inhumane bureaucratic processes that are set in the path of ordinary Nigerians. 

To now add the mortal threat of assassinations and witchhunts that are emanating from spurious sources should not be tolerated by the government of the day if the resolution of this case is as important as all their claims make out.

It should not have to be said that extra care needs to be taken with this unusual twist in the tale and witness protection procedures should be activated to ensure the safety of witnesses whose details have now been made publicly available as a result of the leak of the report made by the judicial panel.

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Seye Omidiora is a passionate football writer and pundit whose deep appreciation for the beautiful game exceeds the usual. He is currently a columnist for Goal Africa and has previously written for Vital Football UK, IBCity Info and Opera News.

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