Avocats Sans Frontières France, also known as Lawyers Without Borders, has called on the federal government and the Nigeria Police Force to ensure full transparency and the public prosecution of a police officer, ASP Nuhu Usman, over the alleged extra-judicial killing of a 28-year-old suspect, Mene Ogidi.
In a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by its Country Director, Angela Uwandu-Uzoma-Iwuchukwu, the organisation condemned the killing, which reportedly occurred on April 26, 2026, in Effurun, Delta State.
The group said reports, including a viral video of the incident, indicated that the victim was unlawfully killed by the officer attached to the Effurun Area Command.
According to ASF France, the act represents a “total collapse of due process” and a clear violation of the fundamental right to life as enshrined in Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), as well as the presumption of innocence under Section 36.
“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 the Constitution.
“It also violates the principle that every citizen is innocent until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement read.
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The organisation further noted that the killing contravenes police operational guidelines, particularly Force Order 237, which restricts the use of firearms to situations involving imminent threat to life.
It added that the act also breaches international legal frameworks, including the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both of which prohibit arbitrary deprivation of life.
ASF France pointed out that video evidence circulating online showed the victim restrained, with hands and legs tied, and posing no immediate threat at the time he was shot.
While acknowledging the arrest of the officer, the organisation stressed that this should be only the beginning of a thorough accountability process.
It called on authorities to go beyond internal disciplinary procedures and ensure a formal prosecution in a competent court of law.
The group also urged a swift, impartial investigation into the incident and demanded justice for the family of the deceased.
“Authorities must ensure transparency, pursue prosecution, and provide a clear path to justice for the victim’s family,” the statement added.
ASF France warned that extrajudicial killings undermine public trust and weaken democratic institutions, pledging to closely monitor the case to ensure it does not end in impunity.
