PRAWA, GIZ Train Police In Kano On Human Rights

A non-governmental organization, Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), has said that human rights need to be fully understood by the Nigeria Police Force and implemented into its operations and training programmes.

PRAWA Executive Director, Dr. Uju Agomoh stated this during a sensitization workshop for Kano Police Divisional Officers (DPOs) and Divisional Crime Officers (DCOs) organized by PRAWA  and funded by the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) under a special project called GIZ police programme Africa.

This was contained in a Press Statement issued by the Media Advisor to PRAWA and the Media Focal Person of the Nigeria Police Human Rights Training Programme, Abdulkadir Ahmed Ibrahim

Dr Uju Agomoh said that the training is aimed at achieving a process through which  police officers will get to know what those rights are and also to acquaint them with the fact that there are consequences when such rights are violated.

She however expressed satisfaction on the level with which the Police are adopting human-friendly method in their relationship with detained suspects.

In a message to the occasion, the Inspector-General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Idris, said the Nigeria Police have no place for officers and men found to be violating the rights of citizens in the name of discharging their responsibility adding  that no police officer would be allowed to violate the rights of any citizen under whatever guise.

According to him, the Nigeria Police Force is a professional and disciplined security outfit which always sensitizes its personnel on the repercussions of violating human rights in the course of criminal investigation.

The IGP  represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Training and Development, Mr. Emmanuel Inyang, however stated that the human rights training workshop was aimed at providing the necessary platform to reach out to men and officers on the need for the promotion and protection of human rights.

He said the training was also conceived to offer them the opportunity to equip them with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitude to effectively discharge their duties in accordance with the rule of law and in compliance with international best practices.

The IGP stressed that the fundamental duties of a police officer include; serving the community, safeguarding lives and property, protecting the innocent, keeping the peace and ensuring that rights to liberty, equality and justice is respected.