The Police Service Commission has pledged to work with the Nigerian Office of Amnesty International to drastically reduce cases of human right abuses in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith conveyed the Commission’s position when he received in audience a delegation from the Nigerian Office of the Agency. Smith told the visiting delegation that the Commission had already started work on this but requested that the Agency should carry the Commission along in its findings before such reports are released.
He said the Commission has since set a new agenda for the Nigeria Police which hopefully will ensure that operations of the Police will henceforth respect human rights and be in accordance with laid down rules. The Chairman noted that the Commission has received a lot of complaints of Police misconduct, but promised that the Commission will ensure that such complaints will be treated speedily with all fairness they deserve.
Alhaji Smith drew the attention of the Agency to the state of Nigerian prisons, with a view to assisting the authority in ensuring proper reformation of inmates so that the incidence of re-cycling of released prisoners back into crime can be minimized.
The leader of Delegation and Director Amnesty International, Nigerian Office, Osai Ojigho told the PSC Chairman that they were in his office to engage the Commission in respect of the reform in the Nigeria Police Force, especially Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), and other legislative reforms. “She added that they were around to share their findings regarding certain abuses and violations of human rights by the Officers of the Nigeria Police Force”.
She expressed the happiness of the Agency that SARS was currently undergoing reform. According to her: “we are currently documenting cases involving SARS Operatives since 2016”: She further suggested the need for a comprehensive law against excessive use of force and the amendment of the Force Order to reflect international standard”.
PSC TO PARTNER WITH AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL TO REDUCE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE