Chisom Orjiogbu
The Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has warned that Nigeria is sliding into a dangerous crisis over the rising cases of alleged extrajudicial killings involving security operatives.
The group expressed concern in a statement on Thursday signed by its Executive Director, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi. It said the situation shows a collapse of discipline, accountability, and respect for human life within security institutions.
CHRICED said recent incidents have raised fresh alarm, including the killing of a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Abuja and the shooting of a civilian in Delta State.
According to the group, on April 26, 2026, a corps member was reportedly shot inside his father’s compound in Dei-Dei, Abuja, by personnel attached to a military brigade guard.
The group said while authorities described the incident as a crossfire, eyewitness accounts suggested otherwise, adding that the officer later admitted it was a “mistake.”
A mistake that ended a promising life. A mistake that no family should ever have to endure,” CHRICED said.
The organisation also referenced a viral video from Effurun, Delta State, where a police officer was seen allegedly shooting a young man over a suspected parcel.
“These incidents are deeply disturbing and unacceptable,” the group stated.
CHRICED said the killings are not isolated cases but part of a growing pattern of abuse by security operatives, which it said has continued despite past promises of reform.
“These killings are not random. They form part of a persistent and deadly pattern of state violence,” it said.
The group recalled that similar abuses contributed to the #EndSARS protests, where Nigerians demanded an end to police brutality and security sector reform.
It also cited reports that during the 2024 #EndBadGovernance protests, at least 24 people were killed by police using excessive force, according to Amnesty International.
“Despite reform promises, the reality on the ground shows that little has changed. The killings continue. The impunity deepens,” CHRICED warned.
The organisation also expressed concern over plans to recruit 50,000 additional police officers.
They warned that without proper screening and human rights training, the problem could worsen.
CHRICED stressed that security personnel must not act as investigator, judge, and executioner.
He added that every suspect is entitled to due process.
It also raised concern over alleged pressure on families of victims to withdraw cases or settle matters privately.
“Justice cannot be negotiated. It cannot be buried. It cannot be silenced,” the group said.
The organisation called on the Federal Government to ensure that all cases of alleged extrajudicial killings are treated as matters of urgent public interest.
It demanded independent and transparent investigations, full prosecution of offenders regardless of rank, and stronger oversight of security agencies.
CHRICED reaffirms that the sanctity of human life is non negotiable. Every killing erodes public trust, weakens democracy, and pushes the nation further into fear and instability.
“Nigeria cannot continue on this path. These incidents must not fade from public memory. They must not be swept aside by time or silence. Only through sustained pressure, transparent justice, and genuine institutional reform can Nigeria break free from this deadly cycle and uphold the values of justice, democracy, and human rights,” he said.
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