Group Blames Citizens’ Ignorance for Rights Voilations, Misconduct by Police Operatives

By Praise Chinecherem

Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative has attributed Nigerians lack of confidence to hold the police accountable for misconduct or abuses of power to ignorance of their rights under the Police Act 2020 and Regulations.

Executive Director, Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, a.k.a Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), Ms. Kemi Okenyodo stated this at a one-day Town Hall Meeting on Human Rights, Police Act 2020, and Police Regulations in Enugu.

Okenyodo, represented by Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, PWAN, Mrs Nkem Okereke said the meeting, specifically for media houses and journalists, aimed at promoting awareness of citizens’ rights under the Police Act 2020.

“Many citizens remain unaware of their rights under the Act, and as a result, may lack the confidence to hold the police accountable for misconduct or abuses of power.

“The meeting offers us opportunity to address the gap in public knowledge regarding human rights and the provisions of the Police Act 2020,” she said.

Okenyodo further lamented the myriad of systemic issues Nigeria had faced in its policing, including allegations of corruption, misuse of power and significant disconnect between police operations and community expectations.

She added, “These problems have been exacerbated by a lack of comprehensive understanding and inconsistent implementation of policing laws among the officers and management of the NPF.

“To address this, PWAN with support from the Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO) is implementing the project “Enhancing Police Governance: Deepening Understanding of the Police Act 2020 and Regulations across the six geopolitical zones; specifically in Kano, Plateau, Lagos, Edo, Enugu, Borno, and the FCT.

“The project seeks to address critical gaps in the understanding and application of the Police Act 2020 and the accompanying regulations within the Nigerian Police Force (NPF).

“PWAN aims to achieve this through capacity building for senior police officers, sensitization of the public on the provisions of the Act, and media town hall meetings on the provisions of the Act and media sensitizations.

“This will improve the knowledge of the police officers and citizens of recent changes and reforms within the police force and further improve human rights application as contained in the Act.”

PWAN boss listed areas the training would cover to include key aspects of the provisions of the Police Act 2020, and police regulations, all of which are important to creating a transparent and accountable relationship between the police and the communities they serve.

“We will also have a panel discussion on media reporting and how the media can mainstream the police Act 2020, especially in the reporting of regular issues like arrest and other common issues of concern.

“We have engaged seasoned facilitators who are conversant with the subject matter and urge each of you, to voice your thoughts, ask questions, and participate actively in today’s session,” she revealed.

Addressing the gathering, the Facilitator for PWAN, Mr Bash Olasupo, observed that the media plays a crucial constitutional role in holding governments accountable and responsible to the people.

This, he said, could be done through investigative reporting, public awareness, facilitating dialogue, monitoring implementation of government programmes and advocacy in the discharge of media role as a watchdog of the society, promoting democratic principles and encouraging responsible governance.

“The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) in Nigeria aims to promote transparency and accountability in governance by granting citizens the right to access information held by public authorities. It is rooted in the Nigerian Constitution, which guarantees citizens’ rights to freedom of expression and access to information.

“The media plays a crucial role in this framework by acting as a watchdog and facilitating the dissemination of information to the public. Through investigative journalism, the media can uncover issues of misconduct and corruption, thereby supporting the objectives of the FOIA.

“However, challenges such as bureaucratic resistance, inadequate implementation of the FOIA, and threats to press freedom can hinder these efforts, making it essential to strengthen legal protections and promote a culture of openness in Nigeria.”

Olasupo noted that there is no provisions of the Police Act that specifically mention the media but there are many provisions that impliedly relate to the media, focusing on the relationship between law enforcement and news reporting.

“The Act emphasizes the importance of transparency in police operations, which includes engaging with the media to disseminate information about police activities, operations, and policies.

“The Nigeria Police Force is encouraged to maintain a proactive public relations role, ensuring that accurate information is shared with the media to foster public trust and awareness.

“The Nigeria Police Act underlines the necessity of a constructive relationship between the police and the media, balancing the need for transparency with the need for operational security.”

Earlier, Executive Director RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwanguma described the Nigeria Police Act 2020 as a huge improvement on what existed but needs to be gender responsive and contain inclusion of safeguards.

He noted that the Act equally needs further amendments and will contain implementation and monitoring.

“Implementation strategy should be multi-stakeholder Police Reform Implementation Committee with a three-year work plan to anchor implementation of reform (as recommended at the 2014 National Conference).

“Police officers need to be educated on the improved provisions, same as public advocacy for citizens enlightenment and political will to enhance efficiency and effectiveness of the police as envisaged by the Police Act 2020.”

The training which also featured panel discussion on media reporting had no fewer than 30 journalists from the five Southeast states in attendance.