Outrage In Kogi As ‘Unarmed’ Student Killed By School Guards, Raising Fresh Questions On Extrajudicial Violence

By Bukar BOLORI

The killing of a final-year student, Andrew Amehson Aziko, by yet to be ascertained security guards at Nana College of Health in Okpo, Olamaboro Local Government Area of Kogi State, is drawing mounting scrutiny, with legal experts and rights advocates warning that the circumstances point to a possible extrajudicial execution and a broader failure of accountability.

The incident, captured in widely circulated video footage, has triggered calls for an independent investigation by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), amid growing concern over what residents describe as a troubling pattern of unlawful killings by local security actors in the area.

In the footage, the victim—reportedly unarmed and visibly distressed—is seen being beaten repeatedly with batons before he is shot at close range. He is heard pleading in Igala, asking the guards to “touch his hand,” while calling some of them by name, suggesting they were familiar with him.

Community sources say Andrew had been undergoing treatment for mental health challenges and had wandered into the school premises after leaving a rehabilitation facility.

Under Nigerian law, the right to life is protected by Section 33 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, which permits the use of lethal force only in strictly defined circumstances, such as self-defence or the prevention of escape from lawful detention.

Legal analysts say the conditions visible in the footage do not appear to meet that threshold.

“Even where there is suspicion of wrongdoing, force must be necessary and proportionate,” Abuja-based human rights lawyer Sadiq Bello said.

“From what is publicly available, this raises serious questions of unlawful killing.”Although the individuals involved are reportedly private security guards, rather than police officers, legal responsibility may still arise under the Criminal Code Act, which criminalises homicide, assault and excessive use of force.

Experts note that private guards are not empowered to administer punishment and are expected, at most, to restrain suspects and hand them over to law enforcement authorities.

The case has also amplified concerns about the regulation and oversight of private security personnel operating in schools and other institutions, particularly in rural communities where formal law enforcement presence may be limited.

Rights advocates are now urging the National Human Rights Commission to step in, arguing that an independent, federal-level probe is necessary to ensure credibility and public trust.

Under its statutory mandate, the Commission can investigate human rights violations, summon witnesses, conduct public inquiries and recommend prosecution or compensation.

A senior official familiar with NHRC processes said the Commission’s intervention could help ensure that evidence is preserved and that accountability mechanisms are not compromised at the local level.

“This is precisely the kind of case that demands independent oversight,” the official said.

The killing is the second reported incident of its kind in Olamaboro within two months. In the earlier case, a young man reportedly died after being beaten by members of a vigilante group following a domestic dispute.

That incident sparked protests and led to the arrest of several youths after clashes with security personnel, with some detainees said to remain in custody.

Residents say the recurrence of such incidents is deepening fear and eroding confidence in local security structures.

“There is a pattern emerging—people taking the law into their own hands and facing no consequences,” a community member said.

Beyond the immediate act, questions are also being raised about the apparent absence of standard policing procedure in the handling of the situation.

Established protocols require that suspects be apprehended using minimal force, that injured individuals receive immediate medical attention, and that incidents involving violence be promptly reported to the police, with scenes preserved for forensic investigation. None of these steps appear evident from available accounts.

The victim’s mental health condition has further intensified concern, with advocates stressing that individuals in distress require de-escalation and medical support, not force.

“This reflects both a legal and humanitarian failure,” a Lokoja-based mental health advocate said.

“A vulnerable person was treated as a threat rather than someone in need of help.”

Amid reports of planned protests, the Chairman of Olamaboro Local Government Area, Hon. Williams Ameh, has called for restraint, urging residents not to take the law into their own hands and to allow due process to run its course.

However, skepticism remains high among residents who point to previous incidents where, they say, justice was neither transparent nor swift.

As of press time, the Kogi State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement or confirm whether any arrests had been made, a silence that has only intensified public concern.

Stakeholders are now calling for immediate steps, including the suspension of the implicated guards, the securing of the crime scene, and a transparent investigation involving independent oversight.

For many in Okpo, the case has become more than an isolated tragedy—it is a test of whether the rule of law can still prevail.

“If this goes unpunished,” one resident said, “it tells everyone that a life can be taken without consequence.”