The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has urged relevant agencies to ensure justice in the case involving suspended DCP Abba Kyari, the erstwhile Commander of Intelligence Response Team (IRT) at the Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) of the Nigerian Police Force.
The Deputy Director, Investigation, NHRC, Richmond Iheme, made the call on Tuesday in Abuja at the sideline of a methodology workshop on police reform audit organised by the CLEEN Foundation.
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The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) had on Monday declared Kyari wanted for aiding and abetting drug pushing and running a drug cartel before he was handed over by the police authority a few hours later.
The suspended DCP is also under investigation after the Federal Bureau of Investigation of the United States of America indicted him in the case of fraud involving an Instagram celebrity and internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, aka Hushpuppi.
Iheme said that human rights violations and unprofessional conduct in the police force would continue if those found culpable of any infractions are not punished.
He said, “It is important that erring officers are brought to account. Unless people who err are brought to justice impunity will thrive. A situation where there are issues of abuse of office, non-professionalism and issues of complaints against persons and those complaints are swept under the carpet, will breed impunity.
“It is important to gain public confidence by ensuring that when complaints are made against officers, it should be investigated, findings publicised and appropriate actions are taken.”
On her part, the Acting Executive Director, Cleen Foundation, Ruth Olofin, said that it is important to strengthen the capacity of the policing institutions to protect Nigeria’s fragile democracy, enthrone good governance and ensure public safety.
She said that past efforts targeted at police reform in Nigeria has not yielded much fruit, hence the need to evolve mechanisms to change the trend.
“Though we have fine officers that are dedicated to the police job it appears overall we have more people that are not professional in their conduct that seems to have beclouded the number of few who are professional which also makes it look like there is no reform.
“We need attitudinal reform and more funding of the police institution. There is no better time to implement these interventions than now, as we earnestly seek to restore the trust of Nigerians in the Police,” Olofin said.
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