By Emeka Nwokocha
Frontline human rights defender in Nigeria, Citizens Rights Concern Empowerment Initiative (CRCEI), has amplified its calls to the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force to strictly comply with Nigeria Police Act 2020 in the discharge of their statutory duties.
CRCEI, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Amb. Monday Enudi, on Friday, reiterated the call while applauding recent visit to IGP Olatunji Disu by Civil Society Delegates led by a legal luminary, Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, in Abuja, capital of Nigeria.
CRCEI, described the visit as a proactive and well thought out initiative to strengthen collaboration between the police and civil society organisations in ensuring policing in Nigeria is rooted in the protection of human rights, in line with global best practice.
CRCEI, further stated that the formidable team of the Civil Society Delegates on the visit underscores the unrelenting efforts by the civil society community to prevail on the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force to strongly promote accountability measures to ensure officers respect constitutional guarantees and are held liable in cases of misconduct.
Continuing, CRCEI commended IGP Olatunji Disu for his sense of descent policing, noting that the IGP’s reaffirmed commitment to people-centered policing inspires hope for a better policing in Nigeria that matches global best practices.
CRCEI further called on IGP Disu to be steadfast in the implementation of his administration’s ongoing reforms, whose components include updating of training manuals, improving officer welfare, strict directives against interference in civil matters, transparency and accountability in the police force, and the protection of human rights across all police operations.
CRCEI concluded by re-emphasising the compelling need for police personnel to strictly comply with Nigeria Police Act 2020 while carrying out their duties, noting that legal provisions on police conduct and suspects’ rights should not be glossed over; they should be the foundational ethics of police duties both at police stations and across other beats.
The delegates included Mr. Femi Falana, SAN; Mr. Adesina Oke, Esq. of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL); Barr. Okeke Chinwike of the African Law Foundation (AFRILAW); Mr. Barbara S. Magaji of Amnesty International; Mr. Anietie Ewang of Human Rights Watch (HRW); Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa; Mr. Bathsheba Taglia of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria; Mrs. Kemi Okenyodo, Executive Director of Partners West Africa-Nigeria (PWAN); and Dr. Itia Otabor of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD).
