The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) has formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police to publicly release the findings of a Special Investigation Panel constituted nearly three years ago to probe serious allegations against officers of the Rapid Response Squad/Anti-Kidnapping Unit in Awkuzu, Anambra State.
In a petition dated February 24, 2026, signed by Executive Director Okechukwu Nwanguma, RULAAC expressed deep concern over the continued secrecy surrounding the panel’s outcome, despite sustained public interest and repeated inquiries from civil society organisations.
The panel was established in February 2023 by then-Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba following grave allegations of extrajudicial killings, high-handedness, organ harvesting, abuse of office, and other misconduct involving officers at the Awkuzu unit.
In a press release dated February 17, 2023, the police announced that the panel would conclude its work within two weeks and invited members of the public to submit evidence.
However, three years later, the report remains undisclosed.
RULAAC noted that portions of interim findings it reviewed identified:
– Eighteen (18) complaints from members of the public alleging high-handedness and extrajudicial killings
– Eleven (11) custodial deaths between March and December 2022, classified as “Sudden and Unnatural Death (SUD)”
– Absence of proper police diaries and statutory registers (Cell State, Crime Diary, Lockup Register, etc.), undermining traceability and accountability
– Operational and supervisory lapses within the unit
The group stated that the report recommended reorganisation and reorientation of the unit, as well as a public briefing by the Force Public Relations Department “once appropriate.”
At the same time, RULAAC acknowledged that the report reportedly found no confirmed evidence of organ harvesting or dealing in human parts, and that there was “no evidence linking SP Nkeiruka Nwode to the alleged misconduct,” leading to her formal clearance.
Given the public association of the officer’s name with the allegations, the group argued that “formal public clarification of her exoneration would be consistent with principles of fairness, natural justice, and institutional transparency.”
“These dual realities grave allegations on one hand and formal exoneration on the other make transparency not optional, but necessary,” the petition stated.
Nwanguma emphasised that the matter engages fundamental constitutional rights, particularly the right to life under Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution.
“Eleven custodial deaths require transparent explanation. Every death in custody engages constitutional obligations… Where deaths occur, accountability must be demonstrable,” he wrote.
The group stressed that public disclosure would serve multiple purposes:
– Deliver justice for victims and families
– Protect officers cleared of wrongdoing
– Drive institutional reform
“Where an officer has been investigated and cleared, continued institutional silence perpetuates reputational injury. Public exoneration is as important as public accountability. Transparency protects the innocent as much as it exposes wrongdoing,” the petition added.
RULAAC questioned what reforms, if any, were implemented following the panel’s recommendations, including whether disciplinary or criminal proceedings were initiated and whether oversight mechanisms were strengthened.
“Failure to disclose after three years undermines confidence and fuels speculation,” the group warned.
The organisation urged the police authorities to:
– Publish the full investigation report or, at minimum, release an official public summary detailing the findings
– Clarify the status of the 11 custodial deaths, including whether independent medical or forensic reviews were conducted
– Inform the public of measures taken to address the absence of mandatory police diaries, lockup registers, and supervision gaps identified in the findings
“Silence in matters of this magnitude erodes trust. Transparency strengthens institutions,” the petition concluded. “The credibility of the Nigeria Police Force will not be diminished by disclosure. It will be strengthened by it.”
