The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) in Rivers State has backed the Commissioner of Police, CP Olugbenga Adepoju, in his call for residents to uphold the rule of law and shun mob action and jungle justice.

The Rivers State PCRC Chairman, Dr Voke Emore, specifically urged residents to stop stripping, torturing or assaulting suspected criminals, forcing them to dance while recording the incidents on video, or lynching them.

Emore spoke with journalists against the backdrop of the warning issued by CP Adepoju during a press briefing at the weekend, where the police commissioner cautioned residents against taking the law into their hands.

Adepoju had urged residents to hand over apprehended suspects to the police or other appropriate security agencies, warning that perpetrators and accomplices of mob action and jungle justice would be arrested and prosecuted.

Supporting the position, Emore said the PCRC, as a bridge between communities, the police and other security agencies, would intensify public enlightenment campaigns across the state.

He said the campaigns would be taken to divisional, area command and community levels to educate residents on the dangers and legal consequences of jungle justice.

According to him, mob action not only undermines the rule of law but can also result in innocent people being subjected to violence, as suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court.

“Mob action and jungle justice hinder police investigations. In most cases, some persons subjected to jungle justice are later found to be innocent after the mob action,” Emore said.

He acknowledged the pain suffered by victims of crime but maintained that mob justice could not provide the desired solution.

“We understand the devastating impact of crime on victims, but mob action should not be an option because it does not bring the desired justice. We should also understand that mob action and jungle justice are crimes punishable under the law,” he said.

The PCRC chairman also appealed to residents to continue to support the Rivers State Police Command, saying the command under CP Adepoju remained committed to tackling crime and maintaining peace across the state.

“I urge residents to continue to have faith in and believe in the Rivers State Police Command, as the command, under the leadership of CP Olugbenga Adepoju, is committed to combating all kinds of crime with a view to ensuring a peaceful Rivers State,” he said.

The PCRC’s planned community-level campaigns are expected to reinforce the message that residents who apprehend suspected criminals should hand them over to law enforcement authorities rather than resorting to violence.