Tragedy in Delta: Police Officer Faces Murder Charges After Viral Execution of Suspect
Tragedy in Delta: Police Officer Faces Murder Charges After Viral Execution of Suspect
The Nigerian Police Force is facing renewed scrutiny following the extrajudicial killing of a young man, identified as Mr. Oghenevwede, in Delta State. The incident, captured in a harrowing viral video, has sparked nationwide outrage and drawn uncomfortable parallels to the events that triggered the 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The victim was reportedly apprehended at a logistics park after a search of a waybill package allegedly revealed a Barrett pistol and four rounds of ammunition. Despite being restrained with his hands tied behind his back and pleading passionately for his life, the suspect was shot twice by a police officer identified as ASP Usman Nouh.
"No Explanation For This"
Speaking on the incident, the Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, Mr. Bright Edafe, expressed profound dismay, describing the event as the most difficult moment of his six-year career.
"There is no explanation for this," Edafe stated. "The instruction was clear: go and bring the suspect. One would wonder why a suspect who is not a threat, who is already tied, and who was begging for his life, would be shot. He tried the first time, it didn't work; he removed the magazine, rearranged it, and shot him a second time. It is not pardonable."
While Edafe touched on the incomprehensible nature of the act, he dismissed any notion of a "spiritual" excuse, asserting that the officer must face the full weight of the law.
Accountability and Disciplinary Action
The Police Command moved swiftly to distance itself from the officer’s actions. ASP Nouh and his entire five-man surveillance team were taken into custody and transported to the Force Headquarters in Abuja to face a disciplinary committee.
"The entire team was taken because it was incumbent upon them to stop their colleague from doing the wrong thing," Edafe explained. "The video did not show them trying to restrain him. You can even disarm your colleague when he is going out of line."
Addressing public suspicion that the killing was an attempt to silence the suspect before he could reveal the source of the smuggled firearm, Edafe assured that a full investigation is underway. "We will unravel the real motive. Investigation will be carried out to know who sent that young man to waybill that gun."
A Crisis of Trust
The incident has reignited fears regarding the conduct of specialized units. Although the team involved was a surveillance unit from the Ughelli Area Command, many Nigerians have labeled them as "SARS," despite the official disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad years ago.
Responding to concerns about the "I will shoot you and nothing will happen" culture, Edafe called it a product of "arrogance," pointing to previous cases where officers have been sentenced to death for similar crimes.
Regarding the controversial decision to blur the officer's face in official police photos, Edafe cited legal protocols against media parades. "The Nigerian constitution states that media parade is not the way forward. When he gets to court, the public will see he is the one. There is no intention to cover this up.
As the Force Disciplinary Committee convenes in Abuja, Nigerians remain on edge, watching closely to see if justice for Mr. Oghenevwede will be swift and transparent."
Every suspect has a right to life. Nobody has the monopoly on killing people just because you are carrying a firearm given to you to protect life and property. PPRO Bright Edafe
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