9 December 2009
“The Nigerian police are responsible for hundreds of
unlawful killings every year,” said Erwin van der Borght, Director
of Amnesty International’s Africa Programme.
“Police don’t only kill people by shooting them; they also torture
them to death, often while they are in detention.”
“The majority of the cases go un-investigated and the police
officers responsible go unpunished. The families of the victims
usually get no justice or redress. Most never even find out what
happened to their loved ones.”
Police frequently claim that the victims of shootings were ‘armed
robbers’ killed in ‘shoot-outs’ with the police or while trying to
escape custody. These claims are often highly implausible.
Fifteen-year-old Emmanuel Egbo was killed by a police officer in
Enugu in September 2008. According to witnesses, he was playing with
other children in front of his uncle’s house when three police
officers came up to them. One officer pulled out a gun and shot the
boy, claiming he was an armed robber. He was unarmed.
In August 2009, his family discovered his body had disappeared from
the mortuary. As of November 2009, the body is still missing.
Amnesty International said that some police officers see the
killings of ‘armed robbers’ in detention as acceptable practice.
In June 2009, the organization visited the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) detention centre in Abuja, which is located in a
disused abattoir outside the city.
Suspects are held in a vast warehouse previously used for
slaughtering cattle. Chains are still hanging from the ceiling. When
Amnesty International delegates visited the building, about 15
people were held in cells. Amnesty International delegates counted
at least 30 empty bullet cases scattered on the ground.
Unofficially, a policeman told Amnesty International that many
“armed robbers” are taken there and shot.
Amnesty International said that one of the main problems is ‘Nigeria
Police Force Order 237’ under which police officers are allowed to
shoot suspects and detainees who attempt to escape or avoid arrest –
whether or not they pose a threat to life.
“Force Order 237 is so impermissibly broad. It simply gives police
officers permission to shoot people. It is against international
standards, and is being abused by police officers to commit, justify
and cover up illegal killings,” said Erwin van der Borght.
“The government must repeal Force Order 237 and publicly announce
that the use of lethal force is only allowed when strictly
unavoidable to protect life. This simple step could make a big
difference to the number of unlawful police killings we are seeing
in Nigeria.”
Enforced disappearances in Nigeria are rife. Typically, in the first
days or weeks following arrest, families are allowed to visit their
relatives in detention. Later on, police tell them their loved ones
have been “transferred to Abuja”. Other times, they simply deny any
knowledge of their whereabouts.
The Nigerian government says that they do not condone extrajudicial
killings. But they are not doing enough to stop them and bring the
police perpetrators to justice. Even on the rare occasions when
police officers implicated in an unlawful killing are prosecuted,
they are often released on bail or escape custody. Some are simply
transferred to other states.
“Ending unlawful killings and enforced disappearances by the police
will require serious legal reform and commitment and support from
the Nigerian police force,” said Erwin van der Borght. “The Nigerian
Police Force must introduce a new code of conduct throughout its
chain of command – from the very top to the bottom. If not, the
cycle of violence will simply continue.”