Six years after the killing of journalist Alex Ogbu, activists have accused the Nigerian government and the Nigeria Police Force of entrenching impunity by refusing to comply with a court order directing the payment of ₦50 million compensation to his family.
The allegation was made by the Justice for Alex Ogbu Campaign, which said there has been no accountability, compliance with court judgments, or meaningful redress for Ogbu’s family since his death in 2020.
In a joint statement issued on Wednesday to mark the sixth anniversary of Ogbu’s killing, the campaign’s co-coordinators, Comrade Dimeji Macaulay and Comrade Gerald Katchy, recalled that the journalist was shot dead by police operatives while covering a protest in Abuja.
They described the killing as a grave attack on journalism, press freedom, and the constitutional right to life.
“Alex Ogbu was gunned down by the Nigeria Police Force while carrying out his professional duty,” the statement said. “Six years later, the same state shields the perpetrators, defies its own courts, and continues to humiliate a grieving family.”
The group noted that in June 2023, a court ruled that Ogbu’s killing was unlawful and ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay ₦50 million in compensation to his family. Nearly three years after the judgment, the police have yet to comply.
According to the campaign, the refusal to obey the court order amounts to contempt of court and has further traumatised Ogbu’s family while eroding public confidence in the justice system.
Rejecting claims that Ogbu’s death was the result of a “rogue officer,” the group said the killing reflected a wider pattern of violent policing and repression. It argued that the incident formed part of a broader state apparatus used to suppress dissent and silence journalists covering protests and social struggles.
The group warned that the police’s continued disregard for court judgments sets a dangerous precedent, suggesting that state institutions can operate above the law even after judicial pronouncements.
It also criticised the government’s priorities, alleging that while authorities cite a lack of funds to compensate victims of police violence, resources remain readily available for weapons, surveillance, and security operations.
The campaign demanded the immediate payment of the ₦50 million compensation to Ogbu’s family, the public prosecution of those responsible for his killing and the alleged cover-up, an end to the militarisation of protests, and sustained resistance against state violence and impunity.
Reaffirming solidarity with Ogbu’s family and journalists facing threats in the line of duty, the group said justice would not be achieved easily through existing state institutions alone.
“Six years after Alex Ogbu’s execution, justice remains elusive,” the statement said. “Until justice is done, the struggle continues.”
Ogbu, a journalist, trade unionist, and human rights activist, was shot on January 21, 2020, at Berger Roundabout in Wuse, Abuja, during a police crackdown on protesters demanding the release of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria.
He was reporting on the demonstration when he was shot. The police initially claimed he died after falling and hitting his head, but it later emerged that he was shot in the head by a senior police officer. An autopsy confirmed that he died from blood loss resulting from gunshot injuries.
Activists later accused the police of refusing to conduct a coroner’s inquest in an attempt to shield the officer responsible.
With the support of human rights lawyer Femi Falana (SAN), the Justice for Alex Ogbu group sued the police and the Nigerian government. The case suffered multiple adjournments, with three judges presiding over the matter and more than 10 delays before a ruling was eventually delivered.
Justice Mohammed Abubakar ultimately ordered the Nigeria Police Force to pay ₦50 million in compensation to Ogbu’s family. However, despite several letters urging compliance with the judgment, the police have yet to honour the order.
