Urgent Need for Adherence to Police Force Order 237 and Respect for Human Rights in Delta State

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞,𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝, 𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀,𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞.

Attention: Sir,

𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗝𝗘𝗖𝗧: 𝗨𝗿𝗴𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗡𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗔𝗱𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 237 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝘁𝗮 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲.

We from the Young Nigerian Rights Organization write to express our deep concern over recent incidents of police brutality and the excessive use of force in Delta State, culminating in avoidable loss of innocent lives and severe injuries to citizens. These tragic events include, but are not limited to:

1. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐦𝐞𝐤𝐚 𝐎𝐝𝐨𝐠𝐰𝐮, 𝐚 17-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐲 ,𝐛𝐲 𝐚 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫-𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐲 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫 𝐢𝐧 𝐎𝐳𝐨𝐫𝐨 𝐨𝐧 6𝐭𝐡 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫,2024.

2. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐍𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐲𝐰𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐜𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐃𝐨𝐧 𝐎𝐧𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐚 𝐛𝐲 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚-𝐇𝐚𝐰𝐤 𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫 1𝐬𝐭, 2024 , 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐦 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐬𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐛𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬.

3. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐨𝐮𝐬 𝐝𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐠 𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐚,𝐫𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐣𝐮𝐫𝐲,𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐢𝐫𝐜𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐬.

𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗰𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗙𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗢𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 237, 𝘄𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗺𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝗮 𝗹𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁, 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗼𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗼𝗿𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝗶𝗺 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗮𝗽𝗮𝗰𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗹 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗶𝗺𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲.

Furthermore, the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (Section 33(1)) guarantees the right to life and requires that force used in exceptional circumstances be both necessary and proportional. 𝐀𝐬 𝐚 𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐁𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐏𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐥𝐚𝐰 𝐄𝐧𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐬, Nigeria is also obligated to prioritize non-lethal measures and ensure accountability for misuse of firearms.

𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗗𝗘𝗠𝗔𝗡𝗗𝗦:

In light of these incidents, we urge the following actions:

1. 𝐅𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐎𝐫𝐝𝐞𝐫 237:

All officers must undergo mandatory retraining to ensure strict adherence to this order, with emphasis on using firearms only as a last resort and prioritizing demobilization over lethal force.

2. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐠𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬:

Independent investigations must be launched into the incidents highlighted above, with erring officers held accountable and prosecuted where necessary.

3. 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐕𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐬:

Compensation and medical support must be provided to victims of police brutality, including covering Don Oneopara’s medical bills.

4. 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭:

Establish transparent mechanisms for reporting police misconduct and foster better community-police relations to restore public trust.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐬 𝐭𝐚𝐬𝐤𝐞𝐝 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬,𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.

Upholding these principles will reaffirm the integrity of law enforcement and ensure public confidence in the justice system.

𝐖𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐝𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐬𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐮𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐞.

𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒔 𝑭𝒂𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒇𝒖𝒍𝒍𝒚,

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗩𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿 𝗢𝗷𝗲𝗶 𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗼𝗽𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗼𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗼𝘅 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱 𝗔𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗶𝗴𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀 𝗢𝗿𝗴𝗮𝗻𝗶𝘇𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝘃𝗶𝗮 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘀𝗮𝗽𝗽 𝗼𝗻: 08038785262

𝐂𝐂:

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐫 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞,𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐪𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬,𝐋𝐨𝐮𝐢𝐬 𝐄𝐝𝐞𝐭 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞, 𝐀𝐛𝐮𝐣𝐚, 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥,𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞,𝐀𝐬𝐚𝐛𝐚,𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐫𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫, 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐇𝐮𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧,𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀,𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐢𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧, 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐒𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧,𝐀𝐒𝐀𝐁𝐀,𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐭𝐚 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐞.