Faculty
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Year of Publication
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Publication Type
Abstract
According to Black’s Law Dictionary, police brutality refers to the use of excessive
and/or unnecessary force by the police in dealing with civilians.1 This misconduct may
take different forms, including physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other
abuses of power. The term is often used broadly to describe a range of human rights
violations such as beatings, racial abuse, unlawful killings, torture, and the
indiscriminate use of riot-control measures against peaceful protesters.2
In Nigeria, police brutality has become one of the most pressing human rights concerns.
Instances of extrajudicial killings, torture, unlawful detention, and harassment are
widespread, despite the existence of constitutional guarantees and legal frameworks
regulating police conduct. The victims are often ordinary citizens, particularly young
people, who lack the resources to seek redress.
Globally, police violence is not unique to Nigeria. In the United States, for example, The
Washington Post database records that 892 people were shot and killed by the police in
2016, though this figure had to be compiled from media reports, public records, and
social media posts due to weak official recordkeeping.3 Such gaps in transparency are
themselves a form of injustice. High-profile cases such as the killing of George Floyd in
May 2020 by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin sparked international outrage and
mass protests against police brutality.
and/or unnecessary force by the police in dealing with civilians.1 This misconduct may
take different forms, including physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other
abuses of power. The term is often used broadly to describe a range of human rights
violations such as beatings, racial abuse, unlawful killings, torture, and the
indiscriminate use of riot-control measures against peaceful protesters.2
In Nigeria, police brutality has become one of the most pressing human rights concerns.
Instances of extrajudicial killings, torture, unlawful detention, and harassment are
widespread, despite the existence of constitutional guarantees and legal frameworks
regulating police conduct. The victims are often ordinary citizens, particularly young
people, who lack the resources to seek redress.
Globally, police violence is not unique to Nigeria. In the United States, for example, The
Washington Post database records that 892 people were shot and killed by the police in
2016, though this figure had to be compiled from media reports, public records, and
social media posts due to weak official recordkeeping.3 Such gaps in transparency are
themselves a form of injustice. High-profile cases such as the killing of George Floyd in
May 2020 by Minnesota police officer Derek Chauvin sparked international outrage and
mass protests against police brutality.
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