When Protectors Become Perpetrators: Examining Police Use of Force and the Right to Life in Nigeria
The primary duty of the police is to maintain law and order, prevent crime, and protect lives and property. Ideally, citizens should feel safe in the presence of law enforcement officers. Unfortunately, in Nigeria, this is not always the case. Over the years, repeated incidents of police brutality, torture, extrajudicial killings, and excessive use of force have created fear and distrust among citizens. Rather than being seen as protectors, some officers have become symbols of oppression and abuse. This reality raises serious concerns about the violation of the right to life, which is the most fundamental of all human rights. The right to life is recognized both under Nigerian law and international human rights instruments. Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees every person the right to life and states that no one should be intentionally deprived of it except in accordance with the law. Sim...