Dwelleth Morountodun
The Country Director of Amnesty International (AI), Nigerian Office, Osai Ojigho, has called on the Nigeria Police Force through
the Police Service Commission (PSC) to formulate comprehensive law against excessive use of force and the amendment of the Force Order to reflect international standard.
She however expressed happiness that Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), was currently undergoing reform on human rights abuses, adding that AI is currently documenting cases involving SARS Operatives since 2016.
Ojigho, spoke during her visit to the Chairman of the Police Service Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, who pledged to partner with Amnesty International to drastically reduce cases of human right abuses in Nigeria.
The Chairman also 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.
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 minimised.