By Okechukwu Nwanguma
The Nigeria Police Force is fast losing its legitimacy in the eyes of the people, not because of a lack of resources, but because of a growing and disturbing pattern of silence, complicity, and institutional tolerance for criminality within its ranks.
It is shocking—though not new—that the Nigerian Police Force has remained mute and inactive in the face of documented petitions alleging enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, unlawful detention, torture, and even property demolition without court orders.
But perhaps even more disturbing is the deafening silence and inaction of the two key oversight and national human rights bodies that are constitutionally mandated to check this kind of abuse: the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).
Their silence is not just bureaucratic indifference. It is complicity. And it is unacceptable. Two recent cases glaringly illustrate this systemic failure of accountability.
*The Johnbosco Onuocha Case: A Life Silenced, Justice Denied*
On June 17, 2025, RULAAC submitted a petition to the Inspector-General of Police concerning the enforced disappearance and alleged extrajudicial killing of Mr. Onuocha Johnbosco by operatives of the notorious Tiger Base in Imo State. The petition was acknowledged on June 19, yet as of today—nearly a month later—there has been no response, no action, no accountability.
Mr. Johnbosco was violently abducted, held incommunicado, denied legal access, and eventually—according to Tiger Base officials—died in custody. Yet the Police Force has refused to make public any investigation, release his remains, or offer explanations.
Even more troubling is that both the Police Service Commission and the National Human Rights Commission, which received copies of the same petition and follow-up letters, have failed to respond or initiate any form of independent investigation.
This is not just a violation of domestic and international human rights norms—it is a betrayal of the very mandates these institutions exist to uphold.
*The Chikadibia Family: From Victims to Targets*
In another egregious case, RULAAC received credible information on July 9, 2025, that heavily armed police operatives in multiple Hilux trucks invaded and began demolishing the Chikadibia family compound in Alaukwu village, Osisioma Ngwa LGA, Abia State.
The family had already suffered the illegal arrest, secret detention, and arraignment of Mr. Chikadibia and his three daughters in April, events that drew widespread public condemnation. Now, it appears they are being punished for speaking out.
This demolition was carried out without a court order—a clear act of vengeance and intimidation. Yet again, neither the PSC nor the NHRC has publicly condemned the act, launched an investigation, or offered protection to the affected family.
Their inaction raises critical questions: Whose side are these institutions on? When victims cry for help and oversight bodies look away, what hope is left for justice?
*A Pattern of State Repression and Dangerous Precedent*
Together, these incidents reveal a dangerous normalisation of state-sponsored impunity and institutional decay. Police officers act with confidence that they will not be held accountable. Oversight agencies look away. Victims are left defenceless. And the public is left to conclude that justice in Nigeria is selective, inaccessible, and often weaponised.
This dangerous trajectory must not be allowed to continue. We Must Not Sleepwalk into Another #EndSARS
Let us not forget: the #EndSARS protests were not just a reaction to police brutality—they were an uprising against a system that enabled it through silence and indifference.
If the Nigerian Police, PSC, and NHRC continue to ignore such gross violations, they will once again provoke a crisis of legitimacy and unrest that could explode beyond control.
The Inspector-General of Police must act. But so too must the Police Service Commission, which is constitutionally empowered to discipline erring officers, and the National Human Rights Commission, which must assert its independence and defend victims without fear or favour.
*Our Demands*
RULAAC calls for immediate and decisive action:
- A full investigation into the death of Mr. Johnbosco and the prosecution of all officers involved.
- Release of his remains to his family and a formal apology.
- Explanation and accountability for the demolition of the Chikadibia family home.
- Access to legal counsel and immediate protection for Mr. Chikadibia and his daughters.
- Independent investigation by the NHRC and sanctions by the PSC against all culpable officers.
- Clear public statements from both PSC and NHRC affirming their commitment to accountability.
The time for silence is over. The Nigerian Police cannot continue to be a sanctuary for lawlessness. The PSC cannot continue to play dead. The NHRC cannot cherry-pick which rights violations to address.
To delay justice is to provoke injustice. To remain silent is to invite rebellion.
It is time to choose accountability or anarchy. The Nigerian people are watching.
Okechukwu Nwanguma, Executive Director, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC)
11/07/205
