An Akwa Ibom State High Court sitting in Uyo has sentenced Sergeant Goodnews Akpan, formerly attached to the Anti-Kidnapping Squad, to death by hanging for torturing and killing a suspect in police custody.
The judgment was delivered on May 25, 2026, by Hon. Justice Nsemeke Daniel, who held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond a reasonable doubt.
According to court records, the offence occurred on November 19, 2023, when Akpan allegedly subjected a suspect, who was being investigated for a bailable offence, to severe torture while in detention. The victim later died from the injuries sustained during the abuse.
Justice Daniel described the verdict as necessary to uphold justice and deter similar acts within law enforcement institutions. The court found that the actions of the convicted officer violated Section 34 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the dignity of the human person and prohibits torture and inhuman treatment, as well as the provisions of the Anti-Torture Act 2017.
The case also brought renewed attention to allegations of misconduct within the former Anti-Kidnapping Squad. Court proceedings referenced late CSP Ekene Nwosu, who had faced separate allegations of abuses before his death while standing trial.
Legal analysts have described the judgment as one of the strongest judicial statements against extra-judicial violence and custodial abuse in recent years. The ruling has reignited calls for police reforms, stronger oversight of tactical units, and improved human rights training for security personnel.
In a related development, the same judge recently sentenced Police Corporal Mbazigwe Chinedu Friday and bus conductor Isaac Eddy Ndeesor to death by hanging over a 2015 kidnapping case after a decade-long trial.
All rights reserved ©2026 CDA News Nigeria.
Contact: info@cdanews.ng | 348 Ikwerre Road, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
