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🇳🇬 Nigeria /Crime & Justice

Lawyers demand open trial for Delta officer in suspect's killing

From The Punch · (4m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • Lawyers Without Borders (ASF France) has demanded transparency and public prosecution of a Delta State police officer, ASP Nuhu Usman, for the alleged extrajudicial killing of a 28-year-old suspect.
  • The human rights organization condemned the summary execution, citing a viral video showing the victim tied and posing no threat, which violates due process and the Right to Life.
  • ASF France called for formal prosecution beyond internal disciplinary measures to ensure justice and urged the government to conduct a swift, impartial investigation and offer reparations.

The recent alleged extrajudicial killing of Mene Ogidi by ASP Nuhu Usman in Effurun, Delta State, has rightly sparked outrage and demands for accountability. As Lawyers Without Borders France, we are compelled to speak out against this blatant disregard for due process and the fundamental Right to Life guaranteed by Nigeria's constitution.

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.

— Lawyers Without Borders FranceIn a statement detailing the organization's condemnation of the killing.

The viral video evidence is chilling. It shows a bound suspect, Mene Ogidi, posing no immediate threat, yet he was summarily executed. This is not just a violation of Nigerian law, including Police Force Order 237 which strictly limits the use of firearms, but also a breach of regional and international human rights covenants. The principle of presumption of innocence, a cornerstone of our justice system, has been trampled upon.

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.

— Lawyers Without Borders FranceHighlighting the international legal implications of the incident.

While we acknowledge the arrest of the officer involved, this is merely a preliminary step. True justice demands a formal prosecution in a court of law. Internal disciplinary actions are insufficient to address such a grave offense. We urge the Federal Government and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure absolute transparency and pursue public prosecution to its fullest extent. This case must serve as a stark reminder that no one is above the law, and the sanctity of life must be upheld by those sworn to protect it.

The arrest was merely a first step toward the accountability required to satisfy the demands of justice.

— Angela Uwandu-Uzoma-IwuchukwuCountry Director of ASF France, commenting on the arrest of the officer.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by The Punch in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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