Under the law, several temporary legal sanctuaries had been developed and perfected because it is morally just and a good thing to do. For example, a suspect running from the law, who takes refuge in a church, at least temporarily, avoids arrest from the police.

By running into a church, he or she triggers the legal sanctuary temporarily granted to the church. This means that the police, an executive arm of the government, may not barge into the church and arrest him. Instead, the police would summon the Priest or Pastor of the church and inform him of the arrest warrant. This triggers a negotiation whereby the Pastor or Priest persuades the suspect to give himself up on the grounds that the church will do everything to vigorously protect the suspects rights even including retaining a legal practitioner to ensure that the rights of the suspect is protected. This may take a day or two before the suspect is handed over to the police.

Under our constitution there is a provision in the chapter on fundamental rights for the same type of temporary sanctuary granted by courts. A person who feels that his fundamental rights is in danger of imminent violation through an arrest may petition the court for the temporary sanctuary from this violation.

read the rest here

http://www.imostateforum.com/index.html/index.php?topic=160.0

thats just dumb. The nigerian constitution does not grant immunity to any place. It only grants immunity to people.

Its stupid to try and create a refuge for criminals in a place of worship.

That law will only last 10 seconds if anyone commits any serious crime.

Rob a house and run into church, I support the police gunning down such a fella on the aisle if necessary.

Pure BS.

Why should a church or any other place of worship be a sanctuary/immunity against arrest?

Click on the link attached before you comment!

Under  the law, several temporary legal sanctuaries had been developed and perfected because it is morally just and a good thing to do. For example, a suspect running from the law, who takes refuge in a church, at least temporarily, avoids arrest from the police. By running into a church, he or she triggers the legal sanctuary temporarily granted to the church. This means that the police, an executive arm of the government, may not barge into the church and arrest him. Instead, the police would summon the Priest or Pastor of the church and inform him of the arrest warrant. This triggers a negotiation whereby the Pastor or Priest persuades the suspect to give himself up on the grounds that the church will do everything to vigorously protect the suspects rights even including retaining a legal practitioner to ensure that the rights of the suspect is protected. This may take a day or two before the suspect is handed over to the police. Under our constitution there is a provision in the chapter on fundamental rights for the same type of temporary sanctuary granted by courts. A person who feels that his fundamental rights is in danger of imminent violation through an arrest may petition the court for the temporary sanctuary from this violation. The primary purpose of this legal tradition of temporary sanctuary is to avoid irreparable harm and to comport execution of our laws in accordance to justice.

Obiagu1:

Click on the link attached before you comment!

Under the law, several temporary legal sanctuaries had been developed and perfected because it is morally just and a good thing to do. For example, a suspect running from the law, who takes refuge in a church, at least temporarily, avoids arrest from the police. By running into a church, he or she triggers the legal sanctuary temporarily granted to the church. This means that the police, an executive arm of the government, may not barge into the church and arrest him. Instead, the police would summon the Priest or Pastor of the church and inform him of the arrest warrant. This triggers a negotiation whereby the Pastor or Priest persuades the suspect to give himself up on the grounds that the church will do everything to vigorously protect the suspects rights even including retaining a legal practitioner to ensure that the rights of the suspect is protected. This may take a day or two before the suspect is handed over to the police. Under our constitution there is a provision in the chapter on fundamental rights for the same type of temporary sanctuary granted by courts. A person who feels that his fundamental rights is in danger of imminent violation through an arrest may petition the court for the temporary sanctuary from this violation. The primary purpose of this legal tradition of temporary sanctuary is to avoid irreparable harm and to comport execution of our laws in accordance to justice.

I have been there and my opinion is the same.

Seconds count where crimes are concerned. So creating a structure that allows someone to potentially delay justice for 2 days is not sensible in my opinion.

This is the case already.

The police need a search warrant anywhere so there's no need to specially enshrine it in a new law. thats duplication.

This law would only turn churches into dens of crime. Besides it seeks to hamper the police ( good intentioned or not) and therefore deserves no respect.

kodewrita:


I have been there and my opinion is the same.

Seconds count where crimes are concerned. So creating a structure that allows someone to potentially delay justice for 2 days is not sensible in my opinion.

This is the case already.

The police need a search warrant anywhere so there's no need to specially enshrine it in a new law. thats duplication.

This law would only turn churches into dens of crime. Besides it seeks to hamper the police ( good intentioned or not) and therefore deserves no respect.

Well I've not fully weighed the pros and cons of such law but in a society where police brutality and unnecessary arrest is so high, such a sanctuary could provide a relief for the people. If an arrest warrant is produced, then the arrest could be effected.

They know their pain and they also know how the police operates in Imo State, so they feel it's good for them.

Obiagu1:

Well I've not fully weighed the pros and cons of such law but in a society where police brutality and unnecessary arrest is so high, such a sanctuary could provide a relief for the people. If an arrest warrant is produced, then the arrest could be effected.

They know their pain and they also know how the police operates in Imo State, so they feel it's good for them.

unfortunately, the police is not local to any state and the law cannot be applied unequally in different parts of the federation. What they feel about the police should be properly thrashed out through the media and in a court of law.

Not by creating refuges for criminals. This is not ancient israel.

kodewrita:

  unfortunately, the police is not local to any state and the law cannot be applied unequally in different parts of the federation. What they feel about the police should be properly thrashed out through the media and in a court of law.

Not by creating refuges for criminals. This is not ancient israel.

States are the federating units of this country so can have different laws that do not contradict the federal law.

As for creating a refuge for criminals, I wonder a sane criminal that should, instead of try and evade a hot pursuit by 1 or 2 policemen, run into a church to seek refuge only to end up allowing more police reinforcement and his inevitable arrest.

This is the stupidest, most ignorant legislation i've read about all year.

why is it morally wrong to arrest a person? if it was morally wrong as recognized by the state why don't they just do away with the practice of arrests then?

wtf kind of nonsense is this.
getting pastors involved with arrests? might as well make Imo a sharia state. smh. ignorance

Nothing wey you no go see for Ndigbo land

kodewrita is 100% correct.

Terrible idea

What are those politicians waiting for? They should look for the nearest church (or mosque) and be safe from the raging storm of efcc

I like this law and I'm a conservative.

If this is true, the person who thought about it deserves to face the firing squad.

LOL. So we should call churches Criminal Embassy now? LOL @ Diplomatic Immunity.

A church is an embassy with god, is it not?

So criminals are the citizens of Heaven. Makes sense.

It's only temporary until they negotiate something.

One could also argue that it helps stop the corrupt police if the military or a dictator ever takes over Nigeria again and it could help stop the liberals who wish to take away our freedom.

I'm suspecting some pastors in the East who fund armed robbery lobbied the govt to make this a law.

This law need to be contained in that area.

Such thing happened in the olden days but it wasnt the church, more like shrines like Okija, running into them to take refuge automatically makes you part of it,

strangest:

Such thing happened in the olden days but it wasnt the church, more like shrines like Okija,   running into them to take refuge automatically makes you part of it,

Actually it also applied to the Temple of Artemis. Cleopatra's sister (Arsinoe IV) was banished there for her safety due to the political situation in Egypt, but she was eventually dragged out and murdered. That was not for criminals, but for political refugees or asylum seekers so to say.

the shrine keh!

strangest:

Such thing happened in the olden days but it wasnt the church, more like shrines like Okija,   running into them to take refuge automatically makes you part of it,

lol. Are they trying to introduce osu into Christianity? 

this can only happen in  churches like catholic, Anglican,The Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG) etc.     Born again churches like Deeper life etc will not agree to this.   Yes  churches like catholic, Anglican, The Redeemed Christian Church of God(RCCG), may agree to this law.    but I know Pastor Kumuyi will never agree to it.


    and dont expect born again churches like deeper life to agree.

I dont believe in this law. and I dont agree with it as a born again christian. this is not a Godly law. we should not use the church to commit crime. We may make mistake. But crime to rob or denied others is wrong.

Was the Catholic Church not a major participant in ODESSA, which helped shelter and transport a lot of Nazi war criminals to Argentina?

If sanctuaries are not willing for their property to be used as a place of refuge for a criminal, how can this be implemented?

things re happing in 9ja dis dayz.

Jst yestade(sunday), police stormed a church in ma neigbourhood, beat up a church worker mercilessly b4 draggin him in2 dia hilux.

total BS

As expected from Okorocha,

The church being a sanctuary should not apply to every crime, In war times, its perfectly understandable, but not in cases like a band of robbers who rob a bank and is chased into a church, In such cases, the police should have the right to storm the church and effect the arrest. Or say a murder suspect who runs into a church, While we are busy negociating the terms and conditions of his/her surrender, vital forensic evidence is being lost and the window of opportuinity to quickly solve the case is diminishing, Or a politician who is on the run from the police, runs into a church?! In 2 days, he could properly plan and effect his escape.

This law has its pro and cons, so rather than provide sanctuaries for criminals, set up a really well funded public defence department filled with bright minds and carreer driven lawyers who would make sure the rights of the defendants are protected and not abused,