The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the killing of a suspect by a police officer in Delta State, saying no officer has the power to act as “prosecutor, judge, and executioner.”
The association made this known in a statement issued on Monday April 29, 2026, in Abuja, after a viral video showed the incident.
They reiterated that the act was wrong and called for a full investigation and trial of all officers involved.
The NBA said it was disturbed by the video and the police report that those involved would be tried for murder.
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The act was descried as “an arbitrary, unprovoked and misguided show of power by a law enforcement agent.”
They noted that the incident showed a policeman taking the law into his own hands and putting the police in a bad light.
The NBA said the law is clear that every person is innocent until a court says otherwise, warning that when officers ignore this rule, they break the law and weaken public trust.
The association stated, “No officer of the law, regardless of rank or circumstance, has the right to act as prosecutor, judge, and executioner.”
The killing, according to the NBA, happened in public, and broke the rules on how suspects should be treated.
The NBA noted that such acts go against the right to life and dignity, maintaining that arresting only the main officer is not enough.
They said that other officers seen in the video may have helped in the act, calling for a wider probe to include anyone who “counselled, aided or abetted” the killing.
The NBA asked for quick prosecution and warned against any move to delay or cover up the case.
They also called for openness and speed in handling the matter. The NBA directed its human rights teams in Warri, Effurun, and Udu to watch the case and work with authorities to make sure justice is done.
In all they maintained that the case shows the need for better police reform, especially in the use of force and respect for human rights.
