The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has come down hard on the Nigeria Police Force following a viral video showing the alleged extrajudicial killing of a suspect in Delta State, declaring that no law enforcement officer has the right to act as “prosecutor, judge, and executioner.”
In a strongly worded statement, the NBA described the incident as a shocking abuse of power that undermines the rule of law and tarnishes the image of the police. The association warned that such actions—where officers take the law into their own hands—pose a grave threat to citizens’ fundamental rights.
Citing the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the NBA stressed that every individual is presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court, insisting that summary executions have no place in a lawful society.
While acknowledging the police’s move to arrest the main suspect, the NBA said that was only a first step. It demanded a full-scale investigation to identify and prosecute all officers involved—whether directly or indirectly—in the act.
The association further directed its human rights teams in Delta to monitor the case closely, vowing to ensure justice is served without delay or compromise.
Warning against any attempt to shield those responsible, the NBA said accountability must be swift and transparent to restore public trust, adding that unchecked abuses could erode constitutional protections and deepen a culture of impunity.
The message was clear: justice must not only be done—but seen to be done.
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