· As Command averts crisis at Ojo
Emeka Ibemere
Despite
several serious training programs aimed at developing the capacity of officers
of the Nigeria Police in carrying out their profession as established by
Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution and Nigeria’s international obligations under both
African Charter on Human and People’s Rights and the Convention on Torture,
Nigeria’s police officers are yet to embrace the new wind of change.
These brazen
illicit acts played itself out last week, as senior police officers averted
what could have degenerated into serious major civil disturbance between two
policemen for assault on Lagos State Transport Management Agency, LASTMA,
officials in Iyana-Oba, Ojo, Local government Area of Lagos State.
On the 5th
of August 2015, the Lagos State police command averted what would have been a
major civil disturbance at Iyana-Oba bus stop through the timely intervention
of the Area Commander in charge of the axis.
Trouble started when a Policeman from Ojo
Division, who was said to be in pursuit of a suspected felon, and in an attempt
to demobilize the vehicle, allegedly fired at the tyre of the fleeing car.
Unfortunately, the bullet brushed through the arm of a passerby, causing
instant tension and anger among some onlookers.
It was gathered that an attempt by miscreants
to take advantage of the situation to foment trouble was stopped from happening
as the Police leadership employed a combination of Alternative Dispute
Resolution and Community Policing tactics to calm frayed nerves.
“The Police
NCO has since been arrested and detained, pending the commencement of
disciplinary procedures against him, while the injured citizen who was rushed
to the hospital by the Police is receiving treatment,” the police said.
Meanwhile,
the command arrested two policemen for complicity in the assault of LASTMA
officials while on their legitimate duty. The Command’s Commissioner of Police,
CP Fatai Owoseni has warned Policemen in the Command to uphold the highest
standards of their professional calling.
He stated
further that the Command would keenly work to uphold the Force leadership
position on zero tolerance for indiscipline, abuse of Human Rights and
incivility to members of the public, stressing that he would not hesitate to
bring erring officers to book.
These human
rights abuses have
led to the
maiming, physical and
psychological trauma of many
citizens. Many citizens
have died and
continue to die in police
detention centres and even
on the highways as
the police commit
acts that for
the most part
go unpunished.
Recently,
the Human Rights Situation Report 2012, said the police in Nigeria have a
history of abusing the human rights of
the citizenry ranging from detention due
to refusal to give bribe, sexual
and physical assault
of those in police
custody, ‘accidental discharge’ use
of torture to
extract confession, extra judicial killings engaged in by police
personnel and many other acts which have turned the police to a blood sucking
monster in the eyes of the citizenry. In view of this, many citizens see police
personnel as an everlasting enemy and relate to them as such.
It would
recalled that last week in Abuja, and in view of the abuse of police force and
her image, which the police attracted to itself, through poor running on their
human relationship with the populace, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime
(UNODC), gathered dignitaries at a one-day national sensitization workshop on
human rights for Commissioners of Police, which preceded a three-day training
of trainers’ workshop on human rights for Assistant Commissioners of Police.
The
stakeholders all noted that respect for human rights can help the police to
gain the trust of the society and the people of Nigeria in the discharge of
their duties.
In an
address at the opening ceremony of the workshops, the Inspector General of
Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, represented by the Deputy Inspector General of
Police, Mr. Mamman Tsafe, said, “A human rights based approach to policing will
ensure that our actions are in accordance with the fundamental principles for
the development of just societies.”
He thanked
the European Union and the Embassy of Switzerland for providing funds for the
workshop and said the sensitization and training programs would help enhance
respect for human rights by police officers and the protection of members of
the society.
In his
speech, the Country Representative of the United Nations Office on Drugs and
Crime (UNODC) Mr. KoliKouame, represented by Mr. Jesse Wachanga, Project
Officer at UNODC, said a number of surveys, including those conducted by UNODC,
have shown the link between the enjoyment of fundamental human rights and trust
in police authorities.
“By
safeguarding the fundamental rights of all citizens, the police will engender
trust throughout the society and encourage the reporting of crime, thus
contributing to more effective crime fighting and enhancement of justice for
victims,” he said.
Dr.
Hans-RudolfHoder, Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, and Mr. Alan Munday,
Head of Governance and Political Section at the European Union Delegation to
Nigeria and ECOWAS, who were also present at the occasion, congratulated the
Nigeria Police Force for taking another step to strengthen their adherence to
human rights and international standards.
Mr. Munday
praised the commitment by the police authorities towards achieving the goal of
having “a trusted police force which is guided by the respect and protection of
the rights of Nigerian citizens and is working hand in hand with communities to
make Nigeria a safer place.”
To take case
serious, the police presented a 408-page training manual on human rights for
the police and a trainers’ guide by Mr. Tsafe on behalf of Inspector-General of
Police, Arase.
The manual
were developed through consultations with a wide range of stakeholders. The
manual contains 47 modules on different aspects of human rights, including
gender, children’s rights, use of force and firearms, prevention of torture,
etc. According to the police, it will provide a road-map for training of police
officers on issues of human rights in Nigeria.
The
sensitization workshop and the follow-up training of trainers were organized in
collaboration with the Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA) and
the Embassy of Switzerland under the framework of the European Union funded
project, “Support to the Justice Sector in Nigeria,” implemented by UNODC.
Also,
between 21 to 23 July 2015, under the framework of the European Union’s funded
project, which was a Support to the Justice Sector in Nigeria and in
collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland the Nigerian Police Force
officers were again trained and during the course, the stakeholders agreed on
the need to take a surgical operation on the force in order to make it meet the
global policing practices of the new age.
The
Assistant Commissioners of Police, heads of the legal section in the 12 zonal
commands and the nine police training institutions in Nigeria participated in
the training that lasted for three days.
At the
opening session of the training, the Inspector General of Police, Solomon
Arase, reiterated his commitment to modernizing the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
Speaking at
the opening session of a three-day training workshop on the use of force and
firearms, Mr. Arase said:
“We must do our best to modernize NPF tactical
operational strategies to commensurate levels with international best
practices.”
The
Inspector General of Police said the subject of the workshop was the
cornerstone of the policy thrust of the NPF. He encouraged officers not to see
the workshop as a mere academic exercise, but as a practical hands-on approach
to improving and modernizing the Police Force.
Mr. Arase
thanked the European Union, the Embassy of Switzerland and the United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) for providing financial and technical support
for the training workshop.
“I wish to
acknowledge the support of the European Union, UNODC and the Swiss Embassy for
their unflinching support to the actualization of this workshop, which has
potential to save countless human lives,” he said. In his address to
participants in the workshop, the Ambassador of Switzerland to Nigeria, Niger
and Chad, Mr. Hans-Rudolf Hodel, said the use of force and firearms has been a
recurrent issue in the Embassy’s engagement with different stakeholders in
Nigeria.
“The issue
of force and firearms is one of the important issues that the Nigeria Police
has to deal with particularly in relation to human rights abuses which occur as
a result of excessive force and misuse of weapons,” he said.
He added
that if force must be used it must at all times be based on the rule of law, be
proportionate and result in the least possible damage.
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