The Delta State Police Command has come under heavy criticism following allegations that it aided and protected a police officer accused of killing a handcuffed suspect in Effurun.
The accusation was made by Efemena Umukoro, interim Delta State Coordinator of the Social Patriotic Youths Initiative and National Secretary of the Urhobo Progress Union, while reacting to the controversial death of Mene Ogidi.
Ogidi was reportedly shot dead by ASP Nuhu Usman, an officer attached to the Effurun Area Command, despite being handcuffed and pleading for his life in a video that has since gone viral and triggered widespread outrage.
Speaking during an interview on News Central TV, Umukoro alleged that the police command failed to act on earlier complaints against the officer, thereby allowing him to continue in service despite a history of alleged misconduct.
He claimed that the shooting was not accidental but a deliberate attempt to prevent the victim from exposing alleged past activities linked to the officer in parts of Delta State, including Sapele and nearby communities.
According to the activist, the deceased had reportedly offered to lead officers to a location before he was shot, raising suspicions that he may have had information that could implicate the officer.
Umukoro further alleged that ASP Usman had previously served in Jesse, where he was accused of engaging in extortion and other misconduct.
He claimed to have personally reported the officer to the police authorities over an incident in which the officer and a superior allegedly collected about N2.5 million to release a suspect arrested with a firearm.
According to him, instead of being disciplined, the officer was merely transferred to another location, a move he described as a failure of internal accountability.
“That was the case I reported, but instead of proper action, he was moved. That is why I believe the system enabled him,” Umukoro said.
He added that the victim’s remains are currently being held at a government mortuary in Warri, while the police have invited the family for an autopsy.
However, he argued that preserving the body does not address the larger issue of alleged institutional failure within the police system.
The allegations have intensified public scrutiny of the Nigeria Police Force, particularly over claims that officers accused of wrongdoing are often transferred rather than properly investigated and prosecuted.
Observers say the case has once again raised concerns about accountability, internal discipline, and the need for reforms within the police force to prevent similar incidents in the future.
As investigations continue, attention remains focused on the circumstances surrounding the killing and whether prior warnings about the officer were adequately addressed.
