By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The pattern is no longer incidental – it is systemic, entrenched, and dangerous.
From the events that ignited the #EndSARS, to recurring reports of unlawful raids, to the unresolved outrage over the extrajudicial killing of Mene Ogidi, Delta State has become a troubling epicentre of police abuse and impunity.
Now, these fresh allegations from Oporikoko Police Station – of women stripped naked, flogged with wire-like objects, and coerced into false confessions – represent not just misconduct, but grave violations of fundamental human rights and the rule of law.
If true, this conduct amounts to torture.
Under the Anti-Torture Act 2017, torture is a criminal offence – no exceptions, no justifications. The law explicitly prohibits any act by which severe pain or suffering, whether physical or mental, is intentionally inflicted to obtain information or a confession. What has been described here falls squarely within that definition.
It also violates Nigeria’s obligations under international law, including the United Nations Convention Against Torture, which absolutely prohibits torture and degrading treatment under all circumstances.
Beyond the legal framework, this incident reflects a deeper institutional failure:
– The use of unlawful arrest and detention, targeting women arbitrarily
– The deployment of sexualized violence and humiliation as tools of coercion
– The presence – and apparent endorsement – of senior command authority in abuse
– The manufacturing of confessions undermines the integrity of the justice system
This is not policing. It is criminality under the colour of authority.
The Nigeria Police Force cannot continue to respond to such incidents with routine internal assurances or cosmetic disciplinary measures. What is required is a decisive, structural intervention.
The Inspector-General of Police must:
– Immediately suspend the DPO and all officers implicated, pending an independent investigation.
– Order a transparent, time-bound inquiry, with oversight from external bodies, including the National Human Rights Commission of Nigeria.
– Ensure prompt medical, psychological, and legal support for all victims.
– Initiate criminal prosecution where evidence substantiates these allegations.
– Undertake a comprehensive reorganisation of the Delta State Command, including leadership review, redeployment, and strict monitoring mechanisms.
– Audit detention practices across the Command, especially the treatment of women and vulnerable persons.
There must also be accountability for the broader pattern. When abuses recur within the same command over time, responsibility extends beyond individual perpetrators to supervisory and command structures that enable impunity.
The continued normalisation of torture and degrading treatment erodes public trust, delegitimises law enforcement, and fuels the very instability the police are meant to prevent.
This moment demands more than outrage. It demands action.
Without urgent and credible intervention, Delta risks becoming a symbol not just of police excess – but of institutional collapse.
Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma is the executive director of Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, Rulaac.
