Lawyers Without Borders have called on the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure absolute transparency and the public prosecution of an officer, ASP Nuhu Usman, over the alleged extrajudicial killing of a 28-year-old suspect, Mene Ogidi.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by the Country Director, Angela Uwandu-Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, the human rights organization condemned the summary execution of Ogidi, which reportedly took place on Sunday in Effurun, Delta State.
The group noted that reports and a viral video of the incident indicated that the victim was unlawfully killed by the officer, who is attached to the Effurun Area Command.
The organisation said the killing represents a “total collapse of due process” and a blatant breach of the fundamental Right to Life guaranteed by Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended.
“The summary execution of Mene Ogidi represents a total collapse of due process and a blatant breach of the fundamental Right to Life guaranteed by Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It further violates the principle of Presumption of Innocence under Section 36, which states unequivocally that every citizen is innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.
“The killing of a suspect in this manner is a direct violation of the rules of engagement and is contrary to Nigeria Police Force Order 237, an internal regulation which strictly limits the use of firearms to extreme situations where there is an imminent threat of death or serious injury.
“This act violates regional and international legal frameworks, including Article 4 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, ICCPR, both of which strictly prohibit the arbitrary deprivation of life by state actors”, the statement read.
The organization pointed out that the video circulating on social media showed the victim with his hands and legs tied, posing no imminent threat to anyone at the time he was shot.
While acknowledging the arrest of the officer involved, the Country Director insisted that the arrest was merely a first step toward the accountability required to satisfy the demands of justice.
The group demanded that the authorities move beyond internal disciplinary measures to a formal prosecution in a court of law to ensure the culprit faces the full weight of the law.
They also called for a swift and impartial investigation into the full circumstances surrounding the shooting and urged the government to offer a clear path to justice for the grieving family of the deceased.
“Ensure Transparency by conducting a swift and impartial investigation into the full circumstances surrounding the shooting. Move beyond internal disciplinary measures to a formal prosecution in a court of law to ensure the culprit faces the full weight of the law. Offer support and a clear path to justice for the grieving family of Mene Ogidi,” the statement noted.
The group warned that extrajudicial killings erode public trust and destabilize the foundation of a democratic society, adding that it would continue to monitor the legal proceedings closely to ensure the case does not end in impunity.
In a related development, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Bright Edafe, has reacted to the viral video showing the killing of a suspect by a police officer in Delta State, saying the command has no clear explanation for the incident and that “spirituality may not be far from it.”
Edafe made the comment during a live interview on Channels Television on Wednesday, while addressing the controversy trailing the video that showed a suspect being executed in public by an Assistant Superintendent of Police.
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The incident, which has since been described as an extrajudicial killing, reportedly occurred on Sunday, April 26, 2026, when police operatives attached to the Area Command, Effurun, acted on intelligence from members of the public.
The command had, in a statement on Tuesday, said the deceased, Mene Ogidi, 28, was apprehended while attempting to waybill a parcel suspected to contain a Beretta pistol with four rounds of ammunition.
According to the police, operatives were deployed to the scene to take the suspect into custody.
However, the officer leading the team, ASP Nuhu Usman, “in clear violation of Force Order 237 and the Standard Operating Procedure of the Nigeria Police Force, discharged his firearm, leading to the death of the suspect.”
Edafe said the command was still struggling to understand what led to the officer’s action. “Since my six years of public relations, this is my most difficult moment.
“Because having an incident that cannot be explained is very difficult. There is no explanation for this. That policeman, I just don’t get what I would say was wrong with him.
“Police cannot attribute the problem to spirituality, but that may not be far from it. Because that is the only explanation one can give to what he did,” Edafe stated.
His comment comes as the Delta State Police Command continues internal disciplinary processes over the incident, which has already led to the arrest of the officer involved and his transfer to Abuja for further investigation.
The video drew heavy attention across social media and news platforms.
The Nigeria Police Force has maintained that it will not tolerate extrajudicial actions by its personnel, while assuring that due process will be followed in handling the case.
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