Six years after nationwide demonstrations forced the dissolution of a notorious police unit, a leading human rights advocacy group has warned that a culture of impunity continues to define law enforcement across Nigeria. The Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre (RULAAC) issued the assessment on Tuesday marking the sixth anniversary of the October 2020 #EndSARS protests, arguing that promised institutional reforms have failed to alter everyday policing practices.
Okechukwu Nwanguma, executive director of RULAAC, maintained that the fundamental problems exposed during the mass demonstrations remain largely unaddressed. While the protests led to the immediate disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry, the group argued that the gap between official promises and actual police conduct remains dangerously wide.
During the 2020 inquiries, panels received thousands of petitions from victims and families, resulting in financial compensation awards for some survivors and recommendations for officer prosecution or disciplinary action. However, RULAAC described the implementation of those recommendations as fragmented, opaque, and inadequate. The organization questioned the accountability measures applied to former SARS personnel, asking how many had been genuinely investigated, dismissed, or retrained, and where redeployed officers were currently stationed.
According to the advocacy group, everyday operations continue to violate protections enshrined in the Police Act 2020, the Anti-Torture Act 2017, and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015. Documented practices include pre-investigation arrests, police involvement in civil disputes and debt recovery, prolonged detention without legal justification, denial of access to legal representation and relatives, coercive interrogations, and demands for illegal payments in exchange for bail.
Survivors are still actively seeking legal redress and accountability for ongoing abuses. RULAAC highlighted the case of a woman named Ngozichukwu, who was reportedly abducted, transferred to Abuja, and subjected to severe torture at a facility linked to the Intelligence Response Team formerly led by Abba Kyari. According to the organization, she was targeted because she contributed a small sum of money toward medical treatment for individuals injured during the #EndSARS protests in the South-east.
Although Ngozichukwu subsequently secured a fundamental rights judgment and financial compensation against the police, RULAAC stated that law enforcement authorities have failed to comply with the court order or disburse the awarded funds. The organization also raised concerns regarding Adaeze Akwaja, who alleged severe torture by personnel connected to the Tiger Base unit in Imo State and the former Abba Kyari team, leaving her with lasting health complications.
Additional scrutiny has fallen on the Tiger Base facility following a coroner’s inquest into the May 2025 death in custody of 32-year-old Japheth Njoku. Njoku had been detained for approximately six weeks over an alleged theft before dying under suspicious circumstances. Released in late September, the coroner’s findings pointed to severe misconduct at the Owerri anti-kidnapping facility, including overcrowding, torture, extortion, and the denial of bail, while recommending the prosecution of two officers.
Beyond specific custody deaths, RULAAC pointed to ongoing concerns regarding individuals arrested and transferred to distant detention facilities without access to counsel or family members, leaving some relatives searching indefinitely through police stations and mortuaries. The organization reiterated its call for a central electronic custody register, mandatory arrest notifications, and independent oversight of detention centers.
To achieve meaningful reform, RULAAC called on President Bola Tinubu, the Inspector-General of Police, the Police Service Commission, the National Assembly, the National Human Rights Commission, and state authorities to demonstrate tangible progress. Its demands include the full implementation of existing laws, publication of outstanding judicial panel reports, comprehensive audits of former SARS personnel, stronger civilian oversight, and rigorous enforcement of court judgments against security agencies.
While advocating for improved police welfare, better remuneration, and adequate operational resources, the organization stressed that working conditions do not excuse human rights violations. The group emphasized that the events at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20, 2020, continue to symbolize a broken trust between citizens and the state, leaving unresolved questions regarding the use of force against demonstrators.
