CDHR condemns police brutality against NSCDC personnel in Osun
…calls for immediate action
By Deborah Oladejo, Osogbo
The Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR), Osun State chapter, has called on the Police Service Commission (PSC) to address unethical practices by members of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) that allegedly resulted in affray, assault, battery, and the unlawful detention of a Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) officer.
In a statement by its chairman, Olowu Emmanuel, provided to WESTERN POST in Osogbo on Saturday, the CDHR condemned the unprofessional conduct displayed during the assault on the NSCDC personnel and vowed to pursue justice in this matter.
Emmanuel noted that after reviewing statements from both organizations, the CDHR observed an apparent stance of supremacy by the NPF over the NSCDC, raising concerns over the rights and dignity of all law enforcement officers.
Emmanuel emphasized that such actions threaten the integrity of the NPF and endanger the lives of Nigerian citizens.
The statement partly read, “Police brutality, assault, and illegal detention persisted for seventeen (17) years in Nigeria between 2000 and 2017. The campaign to end the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) spanned three (3) years of social media advocacy from 2017 to 2020, culminating in the tragic events of October 20, 2020, at Lekki, Lagos State.
“We should not forget that the police’s unethical and unprofessional practices led to protests that eventually took many lives, destroyed properties across the country, and forced the Nigerian government to expend resources mitigating the effects of the protest stemming from long-standing police brutality.
“Four years after the EndSARS protest, the Nigerian government has not implemented the recommendations of the EndSARS Judicial Panel held nationwide. As a result, on October 23, 2024, police officers allegedly brutalized NSCDC officers at Elizabeth Estate, Osogbo, Osun State.
“It is alarming to note that, despite existing regulations prohibiting the use of private vehicles for official police operations and mandating professional conduct within the police, we still witness blatant disregard for the rule of law.
“The recent actions of the police—including their unprofessional appearance, such as wearing jackets over Ankara clothing—reflect a troubling backwardness that should command the attention of civil society across Nigeria. If we do not check the police now, it might be our turn tomorrow.
“We in Osun CDHR were shocked to learn that the NSCDC recounted how the police demanded that they identify the detained officer as a condition for his release. Yet, after identification, the police failed to release him, detaining him without providing necessary treatment. To us, such actions cannot and should not be justified under any circumstances.
“It is shocking that in this 21st century, police still conduct arrests without proper identification or presentation of search warrants. If the police can intimidate, harass, and unlawfully detain NSCDC personnel under the watch of a State Commissioner of Police—despite intervention by senior NSCDC officers—then the common citizen faces an even greater risk of abuse, including torture.
“Osun CDHR, therefore, calls on all stakeholders in Nigeria’s security system, Civil Society Organizations, and Non-Governmental Organizations, both local and international, to collectively pressure the Police Service Commission to embark on a thorough investigation into this matter, ensuring that those responsible are held accountable. We cannot afford to witness another round of ‘Say No to Police Brutality in Nigeria.'”
