A wave of public outrage has erupted following the circulation of a disturbing video on social media showing a Delta State police officer shooting a restrained suspect at point-blank range.
In the footage, which lasts less than two minutes, 28-year-old Mene Ogidi is seen sitting on the ground with his hands tied behind his back.
Despite his desperate pleas in Pidgin English—claiming he was deceived by a friend and offering to lead authorities to a location in Sapele—an officer in civilian clothing is seen cocking his rifle and firing directly at him.
Following the shooting, the suspect’s body was loaded into a Toyota Sienna branded with the “Nigeria Police Force Effurun Area Command, Uvwie” inscription.
The Delta State Police Command has officially identified the shooter as Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Nuhu Usman. According to a statement released by police spokesperson, Bright Edafe, the incident occurred after operatives received intelligence that Ogidi was attempting to transport a parcel containing a Beretta pistol and live ammunition.
While the suspect was allegedly found in possession of the weapon, the Command emphasized that the subsequent shooting was a “clear violation of Force Order 237” and standard operating procedures, as the suspect was already in custody and neutralized at the time of the execution.
In the wake of the viral footage, the Commissioner of Police, CP Yemi Oyeniyi, ordered the immediate arrest and transfer of ASP Usman to the State Headquarters in Asaba.
The police confirmed that the officer has since been queried and moved to the Force Headquarters in Abuja. He is expected to appear before the Force Disciplinary Committee, which is currently in session, to face immediate disciplinary sanctions and criminal prosecution for his actions.
Expressing condolences to the family of the deceased, the Delta State Command sought to reassure the public that they are committed to transparency and accountability. “The Command is fully committed to ensuring that justice is served,” the statement read, as authorities attempt to manage the fallout from an incident that has once again put the spotlight on police brutality and extrajudicial killings in the region.
