The Federal government, through the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has instructed the Nigeria Police Force to halt the public parading of criminal suspects.
A suspect parade involves the public display of individuals accused of crimes, typically carried out by law enforcement agencies.
Senior police officials in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Lagos State confirmed the directive, stating that they had received official orders to comply.
One senior officer told Punch, “The AGF issued the directive earlier this month, and we have been informed accordingly. You may have already noticed some level of compliance.” Another high-ranking officer in Abuja added, “Yes, we have been asked to stop parading suspects.”
When contacted, the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, remarked that an official statement would be issued soon. “The police will react officially when appropriate. We will issue a statement soon,” he said.
Human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN) praised the decision, emphasizing that suspect parades violate fundamental human rights.
He explained, “Parading suspects is illegal as it contravenes the presumption of innocence guaranteed by Section 36 of the Nigerian Constitution and Article 7 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.”
Falana also criticized the discriminatory nature of the practice, noting that low-income individuals accused of minor theft are paraded, while high-profile suspects involved in large-scale corruption scandals are not treated the same. “There are at least five court rulings, including from the ECOWAS Court and Federal High Courts, declaring the parade of suspects illegal,” he added.
Senior lawyer Chief Mike Ozekhome (SAN) also condemned the practice, pointing out the lasting reputational damage inflicted on individuals who may later be acquitted. “The reputational harm from these parades is irreversible. Many suspects are later acquitted, but the public never forgets the initial humiliation,” he said. Ozekhome called on the Inspector General of Police to ensure nationwide compliance with the directive, urging the police to build solid cases and take suspects to court instead of subjecting them to media trials.
