Abstract
The study investigated the socio-political and economic determinants of extra-judicial killings in South-East, Nigeria. Extra-judicial killing is a serious issue that haunts the operational practice of different security agencies in the country and it refers to any death caused by a law enforcement authority without following the legal rules or due judicial process. The social disorganization theory was adopted as the theoretical framework for the study. The study employed the sequential mixed methods research design and the sample size of 1051 was statistically determined using Fisher’s statistical method while the study participants include the town union members and self-employed youths resident in South-East Nigeria. Questionnaire and In-Depth Interview (IDI) Guide were the major instruments for data collection. The quantitative data collected were processed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 20 software and analyzed using descriptive statistics such as frequency counts and simple percentages while manual content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The study found that illiteracy and lack of professionalism among security agents are major determinants of extra-judicial killings. The study also found that poverty among children of the deceased and financial strain from legal bills are the economic consequences of the phenomenon, while grief, pain and the distrust of law enforcement agents are the psychological consequences of extra-judicial killings in South-East, Nigeria. This study strongly recommends that university graduates should be considered as the minimum and prioritized during the recruitment process as the educational background of the officers plays a key role in determining how they discharge their duties. Also, the Nigerian Police Commission should strictly investigate and sanction erring officers as this would serve as a deterrent to other officers and re-emphasize the need to adhere to the law and guidelines of the Police Act as enshrined in the Constitution.