The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the viral video showing what it describes as the extrajudicial killing of a suspect by police officers in Delta State, and the subsequent confirmation by the Police Public Relations Officer that those involved will be tried for murder.
In a statement by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe SAN, he described the incident as “an arbitrary, unprovoked and misguided show of power by a law enforcement agent,” adding that the act “clearly show[ed] that the policeman took the law into his hands but portrayed the Nigerian Police Force in a bad light.”
Osigwe also highlighted recurring allegations that law enforcement officers “routinely violate the rights of criminal suspects and even innocent persons,” saying the act has again been “put under the spotlight.”
According to the NBA President, “No officer of the law, regardless of rank or circumstance, has the right to act as prosecutor, judge, and executioner.” It further stated that the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that “every person is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction,” warning that unlawful actions by security agencies must not go unchecked.
In a representative capacity for the Bar, he further argued that “No society should allow such action to go unpunished,” saying the video “strikes at the very heart of our humanity, the rule of law, and the constitutional guarantees of the right to life and dignity of the human person.”
The statement added that it is “worrisome that in this 21st century, a policeman will summarily execute an alleged robber in a devil-may-care attitude,” noting that the summary execution was carried out “in full public glare in grave violation of laws regulating the treatment of a criminal suspect or alleged thief.”
While commending the Police for condemning and arresting the main perpetrator, the NBA said the viral video indicates other officers “aided or were involved in this heinous act,” insisting that the investigation, arrest and prosecution should extend to all implicated personnel, warning that offenders “will be jointly liable for the heinous act.”
The NBA called for “the immediate prosecution and trial of all officers involved in this heinous act,” adding that any attempt “to shield, delay, or dilute accountability in this matter will further erode public confidence in law enforcement institutions and will be firmly resisted by the Bar.”
He demanded that the prosecution be conducted with “full transparency and urgency,” and directed its Human Rights Committees in Warri, Effurun and Udu in Delta State to confront related matters and monitor events to ensure proper investigation and prosecution. The NBA further stated that its Human Rights Committee and Civil Liberties Committee have been directed to “closely monitor allegations of violations of citizens rights in any other place, engage with relevant authorities, and take all necessary legal and institutional steps to ensure that justice is diligently pursued and ultimately served.”
Osigwe reiterated that “It must stop,” stating that “The bad policemen in the Force must be shown the way out to avoid giving it a bad name.”
The NBA also extended “heartfelt condolences to the family of the deceased,” saying it will continue to press for accountability so that “justice is done and the memory of their loved one is not diminished by impunity,” and stressing the “urgent need for comprehensive police reform, particularly in the areas of accountability, use of force, and respect for human rights.”
