POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF NIGERIA AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

#BlackLivesMatter and #NigerianLivesMatter

Recent weeks saw protests across Africa, including in Nigeria, in solidarity with the Black Lives Matter movement happening in the United States that later snowballed across major cities around the world. These protests have been matched with powerful government statements across Africa.; but while the killing of George Floyd, who died when a white Minneapolis police officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds, has stirred rightful outrage and cries for justice, no one in other countries has sought justice for Chukwuebuka and others killed through police brutality both before and during the lockdown in Nigeria.

This paper comparatively explores the Nigerian and American police systems with particular reference to issues such as extrajudicial killings, indiscriminate use of force, racism and racial (ethnic) profiling.