Nations grow through the application of principles, the rule of law, common sense, and respect for citizens' rights and freedoms. The rule of law is an empirical and scientific approach to governance and problem-solving, focusing on the definition of citizens' rights, liberties, and duties. In the last 18 months, the Federal Government has selectively obeyed court orders, treating them with levity without untoward consequences. This is a violation of the law and promotes anarchy. The government should not justify the continued detention of persons ordered to be released by courts, but rather through brutish application of might. The emerging pattern of selective enforcement of laws should be about strengthening the path of the law, not looking at anyone's face. Investigations and prosecutions should be done without looking at the faces involved, and the law should not be based on loyalty, party affiliations, or blood relationships. The rule of law is not about national saviours or personal egos, but about defining the boundaries of citizens' rights, liberties, and duties.
Index to Nigerian Newspapers
