The Nigeria police has pledged to take human rights seriously, as it prepares to include human rights in its curriculum for training new officers.
The Nigerian Police Force, which has been found culpable in the killing of several innocent and unarmed Nigerians, will begin to teach its men and women courses on human rights.
The new programme on human rights is contained in the reviewed syllabi on police training submitted to Mohammed Abubakar, the Inspector General of Police, by Andreas Buam, the Switzerland Ambassador to Nigeria.
Mr. Abubakar, while receiving the report, stated that “you will see a change in the mannerism and behaviour pattern of our officers and men as soon as we begin to use these syllabi.”
The police boss said violation of human rights by the police and other security agencies was a big challenge to law enforcement.
“The effect of the violation of human rights is the gradual erosion of public confidence, ineffective prosecution of suspects, and gradual isolation of the police and exacerbation of civil unrest,” he said.
Mr. Abubakar said that even while investigating cases, “police officers
in the line of duty must operate within the confines of the law.”
To set up human rights desk
The police boss also stated that, as part of efforts to ensure that the rights of every Nigerian are not violated, the Nigerian police will set up human rights desk across the country.
“We are going to introduce human rights desk in all police commands, zones, commands and police stations all over the country,” Mr. Abubakar stated.
He said the desks would be manned by qualified personnel; and would attend to cases of human rights abuses.
The drafters of syllabi
The syllabi submitted by Mr. Buam were drafted by a committee of four; comprising the Swiss Embassy, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Nigerian Human Rights Commission, and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
The Swiss ambassador, while speaking at the event, expressed his government’s decision to partner with the Nigerian police to ensure the protection of human rights.
Parry Osayande, the PSC boss, while speaking, said the introduction of the syllabi would help reduce incidences of human rights violations by
the police.
Slain officers to be honoured
In a related development, the Nigerian police have put in place a mechanism to honour officers who have been killed on duty.
A 21-member committee headed by a Deputy Inspector-General, Suleiman Fakai, was set up by Mr. Abubakar to plan this year’s police day.
Apart from recommending ways of honouring men and women of the police who have distinguished themselves in the last year, Mr. Fakai’s
committee would also plan how slain officers killed on duty would be honoured.
Several police officers have been killed on duty in the last one year, many of them by the dreaded terrorist group, Boko Haram.
The latest of this killings occurred on Monday, when suicide bombers attacked two police formations in Sokoto state killing at least one policeman.
Culled from Premium Times