WARRI — Prime suspect Assistant Superintendent of Police Usman Nuhu and four other police officers have pleaded not guilty to charges arising from the extra-judicial killing of 28-year-old Warri musician Oghenemine Ogidi, known as OG Million, in Effurun, Delta State on April 26, 2026. Vanguard confirmed the not-guilty pleas following Tuesday’s court appearance.
The five officers, all dismissed from the Nigeria Police Force following their arrest, are facing charges that include murder and conduct unbecoming of a police officer. The prosecution is building its case around witness accounts, forensic evidence, and video footage from the scene of the killing that circulated widely on social media and triggered a wave of public outrage.
OG Million’s family, represented in court on Tuesday, said they welcome the prosecution but want to see a swift trial rather than the protracted proceedings that have historically allowed police brutality cases to drag on for years without resolution. The family’s legal team said justice delayed in this case would send the wrong message to the Nigerian public about police accountability.
A Case That Shook Delta State
The killing of OG Million sparked widespread protests in Warri and across Delta State in late April. Many Nigerians drew comparisons to the 2020 Lekki tollgate EndSARS shooting, saying the killing demonstrated that police brutality remains a persistent problem despite the reforms that followed the 2020 protests.
The Police Service Commission moved swiftly to dismiss the officers from service following public pressure, and the Inspector-General of Police ordered an immediate investigation. The speed with which dismissals and charges followed is seen as reflecting lessons learned from the 2020 EndSARS crisis, when the failure to act quickly allowed tensions to escalate dramatically.
What the Trial Will Determine
The trial now proceeds to the prosecution’s evidence presentation phase. Legal observers said securing convictions for senior police officers in Nigeria is historically difficult, but that the video evidence, witness accounts, and public attention surrounding this case make it one of the stronger prosecutions of police brutality in recent Nigerian legal history. The outcome will be closely watched by civil society groups tracking police accountability.
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