Gift Wada
The Public Awareness on Rights and Rehabilitation of Vulnerable Persons Initiative (PAR-RVPI), in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and Initiative for Media Development and SocialImpact (I-MeDSI), has reiterated the need for Human Rights-Based Policing (HRBP) in Nigeria.
While highlighting the challenges of policing in Nigeria, Mrs. Ogechi Ogu, Executive Director, PAR-RVPI, stressed that effective law enforcement requires a strong partnership between the police and the community.
Ogu stated this on Wednesday during the :Legal Awareness Program on Enhancing Knowledge and Capacity for Effective Policing”, held in Abuja. The event brought together police officers, private security agents, and human rights advocates to discuss the importance of policing practices that align with international human rights standards.
“Vigilantes and private security agents are also part of the police structure, and their duty is to protect lives and property. However, for the community to cooperate with the police, officers must recognize that they are public servants, not masters of the public,” Ogu stated.
She further highlighted the importance of HRBP, stressing that the NPF plays a crucial role in upholding human rights while enforcing law and order.
Ogu said violations of human rights by law enforcement officers lead to: “Erosion of public trust, Ineffective prosecutions, Delayed or denied justice, with innocent individuals suffering.
“To prevent such issues, officers must uphold key HRBP standards such as equal protection for all, respect and dignity for every individual, regardless of background, minimize use of force, ensure detainees’ rights, including access to legal representation and medical care and accountability,” she explained.
She urged the Nigeria Police Force to adopt HRBP as a core policing approach, stating that compliance with international human rights standards would strengthen the integrity and effectiveness of law enforcement in Nigeria.
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In his remarks, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO), SP Bukar Ntasiri, commended PAR-RVPI for the training and affirmed the commitment of the NPF to ensure adherence of officers to HRBP.
“The DPOs gained these human right training when he was in the force headquarters. All DPO’s, DCO’s, human right desk officers, some police officers in over 25 states which cover over 10,000 police officers have undergone human right training,” Ntasiri explained.
Senator Iroegbu, Founder of I-MeDSI, lauded the collaboration between PAR-RVPI and the Police, stating that it aligns with ongoing efforts to reform security sector governance in Nigeria. He also emphasized the role of the media in sustaining advocacy for human rights-based policing.
“I-MeDSI and Global Sentinel are proud to support PAR-RVPI and the Nigeria Police Force in this commendable initiative. We’re committed to championing this advocacy and promoting positive change”, he said.
A police officer who participated at the event, further stressed the ethical expectations of law enforcement, defining Police as an acronym for Politeness, Obedience, Loyalty, Intelligence, and Endurance.