Extrajudicial Killings: A Call For Accountability

In the closing days of April 2026, Nigerians were once again confronted with a recurring problem in the country’s security sector—the extrajudicial killing of citizens by those trained and paid to protect them.

Within just three days—25th, 26th, and 27th April—there were three tragic incidents in Delta State and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, which led to the untimely death of three men in their prime.

These cases were not the customary ‘accidental discharge’ or ‘friendly fire’; they were cold-blooded extrajudicial killings. They are unlawful, avoidable, and represent a needless waste of human life. Even animals are not meant to be killed in such a manner.

The most chilling incident occurred on 26th April, 2026, in Effurun, Delta State, where 28-year-old Oghenemine Ogidi was killed by police officers led by Assistant Superintendent Nuhu Usman in connection with an alleged possession of a firearm.

In a widely circulated video footage of the incident, Ogidi was seen sitting on the ground with his hands and feet tied with ropes, begging for his life as ASP Nuhu Usman loaded and cocked his weapon. Ogidi was heard offering to take the officer to Sapele in Delta State to identify the source of the package. After initially struggling with his weapon, ASP Nuhu Usman shot him. When he did not die immediately, the officer and his accomplices—including two civilians—bundled him into a waiting police vehicle, took him to their office car park, and shot him dead there, according to the report.

Just a day earlier, on 25th April, 2026, Abdulsamad Jamiu, a 24-year-old member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was shot dead at approximately 2 a.m. in his residence in Shagari Estate, Dei-Dei, by soldiers of the Brigade of Guards.

The Nigerian Army initially claimed its personnel were responding to a distress call about an armed robbery and that Jamiu was tragically caught in the crossfire. However, his family strongly disputed this account, alleging that soldiers entered the home and shot him in his bedroom. The Army has since revised its position, launched an internal investigation, and extended condolences to the family.

A third, less widely reported killing of an unarmed civilian by military personnel occurred in Abuja on 27th April, 2026, at Wuse 2, Abuja. One Oladipupo Akinola, a revenue collector with the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC), was killed during an enforcement operation following an altercation with a diplomatic convoy escort.  A soldier in the convoy shot him in the head when he refused to allow the convoy to proceed without paying certain charges.

As a newspaper, we are outraged that such routine enforcement or security engagements can so easily result in fatal outcomes. This normalisation of lethal force in such situations signals a troubling disregard for the sanctity of human life. It was precisely for reasons such as these that the now historic EndSARS protests of October 2020 occurred, when Nigerians across the country demonstrated for days, demanding an end to police brutality and disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which had strayed from its core mandate and begun terrorising ordinary citizens.

Extrajudicial killings are not only evil but unlawful, and they erode public trust in the security agencies that rely on the public for intelligence in carrying out their duties. It is unacceptable that those trained, funded with public resources, and entrusted with enforcing the law should operate outside its bounds.

In the Effurun case, the police authorities have moved swiftly to punish the indicted policemen. The four officers involved have already been dismissed and are being processed for criminal prosecution while their civilian accomplices are reportedly on the run. Their trial must be pursued to its logical conclusion as quickly as possible to ensure justice for the victim’s family.

While these actions are commendable, they do not go far enough.

First, the police must publicly identify the fleeing suspects and release their photographs. Secondly, the haste and determination with which ASP Nuhu Usman carried out the execution suggest an officer intent on silencing a suspect who might have exposed a wider criminal network. We, therefore, demand a thorough and independent investigation to determine whether this killing was merely an abuse of power or part of a broader cover-up. Any indication of a cover-up must be pursued relentlessly, and all those involved, regardless of rank, must be held accountable.

Regarding the killings by soldiers, the military authorities must do the needful by identifying those responsible and handing them over for prosecution. This would help to mitigate the reputational damage caused by the initial attempt to attribute the NYSC member’s death to a stray bullet during a robbery incident. The era of security agencies shielding personnel involved in such heinous acts must come to an end; it is one credible way to deter future misconduct.

Following the EndSARS episode, we recommended mandatory psychological evaluation and continuous mental health monitoring for all armed personnel, particularly those formerly attached to SARS before its disbandment. The revelation that ASP Nuhu Usman was a former SARS operative, coupled with the persistence of such extrajudicial killings, suggests that such measures were either not implemented or not effectively carried out.

A May 2026 report from the Resource Centre for Human Rights & Civic Education (CHRICED) estimated at least 900 extrajudicial killings in Nigeria between 2020 and 2026, with some human rights organisations placing the figure as high as 3,000. The reality is that many of these incidents go unreported.

The responsibility of carrying firearms demands not only technical competence but also emotional stability. Officers exhibiting signs of distress, aggression, or impaired judgement must be promptly identified, removed from active duty, and provided with appropriate professional support.

Finally, we reiterate that the authority to bear arms is not a licence to kill. Those who violate this principle must always be fished out, flushed out and prosecuted accordingly.