Over the years, every attempt at reforming the Nigerian Police Force has continued to crash against the same hardened wall of systemic failure. What was meant to be an institution of protection has, in too many instances, become a source of fear. From the recruitment of individuals who lack both the passion and temperament for public service, to inadequate training that fails to instill discipline and respect for human life, the cracks in the foundation have only widened. Ethical standards are routinely compromised, accountability mechanisms remain weak, and misconduct is too often met with silence or superficial consequences. The result is a force that struggles under the weight of its own dysfunction, leaving citizens exposed rather than protected. This reality becomes even more chilling when viewed through the lens of extrajudicial killings; lives abruptly cut short by those entrusted with upholding the law.
Each incident is not just a statistic but a story of a future erased, a family shattered, and a society further stripped of trust in its institutions. The persistence of such acts signals a deeper crisis, one where power is exercised without restraint and justice becomes an afterthought. If meaningful reform is to be achieved, it must move beyond rhetoric and confront these entrenched issues head-on, prioritizing accountability, proper training, and a reorientation toward the sanctity of human life. Until then, the cycle of abuse will continue, and the very force meant to safeguard the people will remain a looming threat over them.
The primary mandate of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) is clear: to safeguard lives and property, prevent and detect crime, apprehend offenders, maintain public order, and enforce the law. As the foremost agency of internal security, the police serve as the gateway to the criminal justice system. Their actions set the tone for whether justice will be pursued lawfully or derailed at the very outset.
In carrying out these responsibilities, the police are guided by an established legal framework, including the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, and the Nigeria Police Act, 2022. These laws are not mere formalities; they are binding safeguards designed to ensure that the exercise of state power remains within defined limits.
The 1999 Constitution (as amended) unequivocally guarantees the fundamental right to life, affirming that no individual shall be intentionally deprived of life except in execution of a lawful court sentence following due process. It expressly prohibits arbitrary deprivation of life and reinforces the principle that justice must be administered through established legal channels. While the Constitution recognizes limited exceptions such as the use of reasonable force in self-defense, the defense of property, lawful arrest, prevention of escape, or suppression of riots, these exceptions are narrowly defined and strictly regulated.
Equally significant is the constitutional presumption of innocence. Every individual accused of a crime is deemed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. The role of the police is investigative, not adjudicative. Their duty is to gather evidence and present it before the court, not to determine guilt or impose punishment. Any deviation from this principle constitutes a fundamental breach of the rule of law.
The extrajudicial killing of 28-year-old Mene Ogidi stands as a stark and deeply troubling illustration of these failures. The killing of a suspect who was already restrained; his hands and legs bound, raises grave legal and moral questions. A suspect in such a condition poses no immediate threat that could justify the use of lethal force. Section 4 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, is explicit in its requirement that any force used by law enforcement must be reasonable and proportionate to the circumstances. The summary execution of a restrained individual falls far outside these bounds.
Furthermore, the actions attributed to ASP Nuhu Usman represent a clear violation of established policing standards, including Force Order 237 and the Standard Operating Procedures of the Nigeria Police Force. The discharge of a firearm under such circumstances is not only unlawful but indicative of a broader disregard for professional conduct and institutional discipline.
In this context, the act goes beyond the unlawful killing of an individual; it constitutes an assault on the entire criminal justice process. By terminating the life of a suspect who was reportedly willing to provide information, the opportunity for further investigation was extinguished. Critical leads, potential accomplices, and the full scope of the alleged crime may have been irretrievably lost. In essence, the act did not only silence a suspect; it silenced evidence.
This incident inevitably raises pressing and uncomfortable questions. Why was lethal force employed against a restrained individual? Was there a failure of judgment, or something more deliberate? Could there be undisclosed connections or interests that influenced the actions taken by the police? While such questions must be approached with caution and investigated thoroughly, their very existence underscores the urgent need for transparency and accountability.
The state bears a fundamental responsibility to protect the lives of its citizens and to ensure that justice is neither subverted nor obstructed. This obligation extends to conducting a comprehensive, impartial, and transparent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident, including the conduct of all officers involved. The extrajudicial killing of Ogidi is a ‘red herring” tactic by the police to divert attention or cover the real crime yet unknown Accountability must not be selective or symbolic; it must be decisive and rooted in the rule of law. ASP Nuhu did not merely execute a suspect without recourse to the law; in doing so, he struck at the very heart of justice itself, undermining the principles upon which the criminal justice system stands.
The incident in Efurun serves as yet another urgent reminder that reform of the Nigerian Police Force is not optional but imperative. The goal must be to build an institution that commands respect through professionalism, earns trust through accountability, and operates within the clear boundaries of the law. Discipline, ethical conduct, and respect for human life must become non-negotiable standards.
Until these reforms are meaningfully implemented and consistently enforced, the cycle of abuse will persist, and the institution designed to protect the people risks remaining, paradoxically, one of their greatest threats.
– Onogwu Muhammed
Lawyer, Public Policy Analyst, and Public Relations Expert
