Inspector-General of Police Olatunji Disu has ordered the immediate dismissal and criminal prosecution of Assistant Superintendent of Police Nuhu Usman and four other officers found culpable in the extrajudicial killing of Mene Ogidi in Effurun, Delta State, describing the April 26 incident as criminal, unprofessional, and a direct betrayal of the oath of policing service.
Speaking at a press briefing at Force Headquarters in Abuja, Disu said internal disciplinary proceedings had been concluded, with the Force Disciplinary Committee and the Orderly Room Tribunal both recommending the immediate dismissal of all involved officers from the Nigeria Police Force. The recommendations had been formally forwarded to the Police Service Commission for final ratification, after which the dismissed officers would be handed to appropriate judicial authorities to face criminal charges for unlawful homicide.
“Let me be clear: this action was criminal, it was unprofessional, and it has no place in the Nigeria Police Force,” Disu said, adding that investigations had confirmed without ambiguity that ASP Usman acted in gross violation of Force Order 247, which regulated the use of firearms by police officers, as well as established standard operating procedures governing police conduct in the field.
He explained that upon receiving reports of the shooting, he had immediately directed the transfer of all involved officers from the Delta State Police Command to Force Headquarters in Abuja to ensure transparency and prevent any interference with the disciplinary process. The Force Disciplinary Committee was mandated to handle cases involving Usman and a Superintendent of Police linked to the incident, while three Inspectors were subjected to the Orderly Room Tribunal process.
Disu was unequivocal in stating that no level of criminal suspicion against a citizen could justify extrajudicial killing by law enforcement officers, describing the protection of life rather than its taking as the fundamental duty of the police. “No level of criminal suspicion against a citizen justifies extra-judicial killing. Our duty is to protect life, not to extinguish it,” he said.
He extended personal condolences to the family, friends, and community of Mene Ogidi, acknowledging the irreplaceable nature of the loss while giving a firm public commitment to full and transparent justice. “A life has been lost, and no statement can fill that void. But I give you my word: justice will not only be done, it will be seen to be done,” he said.
The IGP distanced the institution of the police from the conduct of the officers, insisting their actions were contrary to police values, professional ethics, and operational standards, and that their uniform had never been a license to kill.
He declared that the era of impunity within the force was over and pledged that the police leadership would continue to purge its ranks of officers who betrayed its mandate. He appealed to residents of Delta State and Nigerians generally to remain calm and law-abiding rather than resort to violence or self-help, assuring the public that institutional accountability was being pursued with full rigor and transparency.
