Without reform, the current structure of the Nigeria Police will raise another terror squad worse than the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), ActionAid of Nigeria (AAN) has said.
AAN’s Country Director Ene Obi who disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday said apart from SARS there are still many unscrupulous elements in the police.
“There has been limited progress on accountability of law enforcement agencies and their abuses in the country,” Obi said.
She said police reform should start with the upgrading of police training colleges and recruitment processes.
She said: ” We want a Nigeria police that is well-informed on human rights and social justice and treat human beings with dignity. We demand the Nigerian Police that is attractive to the best brains in the country and the police officers that are core professionals maintaining public order and safety, enforcing the law, and preventing, detecting, and investigating criminal activities with emotional intelligence devoid of brutality or extortion of citizens”.
The group therefore demand a policing system with good welfare package to attract and retain the best of minds in the country.
“The current level of impunity cannot continue, we demand improved policing”, Obi added.
She accused the FG of cordoning impunity in the police as the report of Presidential Panel of Inquiry set up in 2018 to investigate abuses by SARS is yet to be made public.
“It is imperative that the officers who have been found guilty of harassing and brutalizing innocent citizens should be brought to book and justice be seen to be thoroughly served”, Obi said.
