When the shield turns predator, trust is the first casualty. Nigeria’s security forces, meant to be the country’s armour, are now seen as a source of fear. The uniform, once a symbol of safety, now signals danger. The social contract is broken, and citizens are left wondering who is watching their backs. The protectors have become the predators, leaving a trail of trauma and mistrust in their wake. The Lekki Toll Gate shooting, the #EndSARS protests, and countless other incidents have etched a painful reality, those meant to safeguard are sometimes the ones causing harm.
Citizens are trapped in a cycle of fear and mistrust daily. It is time for Nigeria’s security institutions to reclaim their mandate which is to protect, not prey. The courage of victims speaking out demands courage from leaders to reform. Our political leaders must wake up to accountability, oversight, and a commitment to human rights, and make Nigeria’s security forces to turn the tide and become the guardians they have sworn to be. The answer lies in concrete actions, not just promises. Investigations, prosecutions, and reforms can rewrite the narrative. Until then, the shadows of fear will linger, and trust will remain a luxury in Nigeria.
The institutions designed to protect citizens, the police, the military, and the Department of State Services (DSS) are increasingly under scrutiny not for safeguarding lives, but for eroding public trust through acts that mirror the very harm they are meant to prevent. Incidents of excessive force, arbitrary detention, and unwarranted shootings have transformed public perception, and protectors are sometimes seen as threats daily.
READ ALSO: Nigerian govt shuts 41 schools over insecurity
Globally, security institutions exist for one purpose, to protect life, dignity, and public order. In the Nigeria security space, the parlance you hear everyday particularly from the police is “Our role is to protect life and properties” The police, military and intelligence agencies are granted extraordinary powers to arrest, detain and use force because they are expected to safeguard citizens, not terrorise them.
However, in Nigeria today, this social contract is badly broken. For millions of citizens, uniforms no longer symbolise safety, but they signal fear. Institutions created to protect the people increasingly behave as predators, undermining democracy, human rights, and national stability in the process.
The impact is real, playing out in the stories of victims, families, and eyewitnesses whose lives are forever changed by violence from those meant to protect them. Despite promises of reform after the 2020 #EndSARS protests, excessive force and abuse by security forces persist, leaving Nigerians seeking justice years later.
Take Khalid Aminu, a Kaduna engineer arrested during the #EndBadGovernance protests: “I was tortured for over 60 days… DSS operatives beat me with sticks and iron cables. I am yet to fully recover.” Such accounts highlight the lasting physical and emotional scars.
Most recently, following the arrest, Hassan Taiwo (aka Soweto) accused senior officers of the Lagos State Police Command including the Commissioner of Police, Moshood Jimoh of gross misconduct, brutality, and torture. According to Taiwo, he was beaten repeatedly after his apprehension, in what he described as a deliberate attempt to punish and silence him for his activism. He said the assault was severe and sustained, leaving him physically shaken and injured.
Accounts circulated within activist networks further claimed that his clothing was torn, and that he was blindfolded and restrained before being taken into custody. Once at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Hassan Taiwo, and others arrested on the protest ground by the Lagos State Nigeria Police Command said they were denied access to their lawyers, family members, and the public. This again is extreme violation of established legal safeguards for detainees.
As part of his ordeals, the officers of the Nigeria Police attempted to coerce him into making a statement without the presence of his legal counsel, which he refused. Following this refusal, he was reportedly subjected to further physical abuse and his eyeglasses were broken, leaving him partially blind in one eye.
Nigerian law has some of the strongest formal protections against torture and abuse in detention in West Africa, even though enforcement often falls short.
At the highest level, the 1999 Constitution as amended, section 37 guarantees the dignity of the human person and explicitly prohibits torture, inhuman, or degrading treatment. This protection applies to everyone, including suspects and detainees, and it cannot be suspended by emergency regulations, security operations, or executive orders.
Beyond the Constitution, Nigeria enacted the Anti-Torture Act in 2017, which criminalises torture in all its forms; physical, psychological, and emotional when carried out by public officials or those acting with their consent. The law makes clear that torture can never be justified, whether on grounds of national security, public order, or superior orders. Officers found guilty face lengthy prison terms, and when torture results in death, the offence may amount to murder.
The Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 (ACJA), which applies federally and has been domesticated by many states, further strengthens detainee rights. It requires that arrested persons be treated humanely, have access to legal counsel, and be informed promptly of the reasons for their arrest. It also regulates how statements are taken, including the use of legal representation and recording procedures, precisely to prevent forced confessions and abuse. The Police Act and internal police regulations reinforce these duties, placing a legal obligation on officers to respect the rights and dignity of suspects in custody.
Nigeria’s obligations do not stop at domestic law. Article 5 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights which Nigeria has domesticated prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman, or degrading punishment and guarantees the right to liberty and fair trial.
Nigeria is also a party to international treaties such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which impose binding duties to prevent torture, investigate allegations, and provide effective remedies to victims.
At the regional level, the ECOWAS Court of Justice has repeatedly held Nigeria accountable for torture and unlawful detention, ordering compensation and investigations where domestic remedies proved ineffective.
Despite these robust legal protections, the central challenge in Nigeria is still implementation. Torture and ill-treatment persist largely because of weak investigations, institutional solidarity within security agencies, slow prosecutions, and political interference. Accountability often depends on sustained legal action, media attention, civil society mobilisation, and international scrutiny.
Nigeria’s security institutions must reclaim their mandate to protect citizens, uphold rights, and serve with integrity. The courage of victims and eyewitnesses in speaking out must be met with corresponding courage from leaders to reform. Only then can protectors truly become protectors not predators in uniform.
……
Newton Otsemaye is the Social Mobilisation Specialist with ActionAid Nigeria. He is an organiser and researcher focused on democracy, governance, and citizen rights in Nigeria.
