In an interview with Arise News From 10:30, retired Commissioner of Police Aderemi Adeoye emphasized the importance of upholding the rule of law in handling security cases, particularly in the wake of the recent Uromi killings.
He acknowledged that while the presence of a large number of dane guns in a vehicle may raise suspicion, it does not justify extrajudicial killings. Adeoye stressed that law enforcement agencies, let alone civilians, do not have the authority to try, convict, and execute individuals without due process.
Explaining further, he pointed out that in many jurisdictions, dane guns do not require licenses as they are traditionally used for hunting. However, their transportation over long distances could appear suspicious to untrained observers. Regardless of the type of weapon involved, Adeoye insisted that the correct response should have been legal apprehension and prosecution rather than mob action. He argued that even if the intercepted individuals had been carrying AK-47 rifles, law enforcement officers would still have been required to follow proper legal procedures instead of resorting to extrajudicial execution.
“In many jurisdictions, dane guns do not require a license because it’s for hunting. But in hunting, it’s not envisaged that they would travel far distances, so it might be a red flag to the untrained eye. Dane guns in such a large number and moving in a vehicle arouse suspicion, but the bottom line is that even if what they were carrying were AK-47 rifles, the law and the court have not delegated authority to try, convict, and execute to anyone—not even the law enforcement agents. If it was the police that intercepted them and they did not put up a fight, they did not open fire, they were arrested, and the weapon seized. Even if they were AK-47 rifles, the police have no power to extrajudicially execute them. They must be arraigned before the court of law,” Adeoye stated.