Chidimma Uchegbu – Abuja
Chairman of the National Drug Law and Enforcement Agency ( NDLEA), Brig-General Buba Marwa (Rtd) has advised that the deployment of forces by state institutions must be guided by the principle of proportionality, grounded in law, informed by necessity, and applied with restraint.
Buba Marwa gave the advised at a conference organized by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) in collaboration with Citizen FM, the Senior Advocate of Nigeria and Dean of the Faculty of Law, University of Jos, Dakas Dakas, stating that the conference aimed at promoting accountability and ensuring that security operations are guided by both constitutional and international standards.
According to him, equipping law enforcement officers with adequate less-lethal tools, saying “if officers have more tools, they make better choices.”
He urged officers not to see proportionality as weakness, but rather as “strength, precision, discipline, and professionalism”.
The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Tony Ojukwu, earlier in his opening remarks stated that disproportionate force should be considered as torture, cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, unless good faith on the part of the officer is established beyond a reasonable doubt.
The experts highlighted the negative implications of disproportionate use of force for citizens’ rights and health, as well as Nigeria’s democracy. They emphasized the need for independent oversight and complaint mechanisms to promote accountability and restore public trust.
The event was attended by prominent dignitaries, including representatives of governors, security agencies, and civil society organizations
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