The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed concern over the conduct of the Nigerian police and military officers, especially in the Southeast.
Demanding immediate and effective overhaul of leadership positions in the police force, HURIWA specifically observed that the Police Service Commission (PSC) have become dysfunctional with some police officers allegedly involved in crimes.
Join our WhatsApp ChannelComrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, the National Coordinator of this civil rights advocacy group, in a statement made available to Prime Business Africa, urged the National Assembly to enforce the police service commission’s oversight function on the Police with regard to professionalism and discipline as allegations of corruption increasingly envelops the Force.
Onwubiko also rues the extortionist tendencies of military officers deployed to the Southeast region.
“The trajectory of bribe seeking operatives staining the image of the Nigeria Police Force must be changed and it is time to realistically tackle the pollution of ethical and moral values in the police of Nigeria, ” he said.
Onwubiko acknowledged that there are many fine, robustly disciplined police officers and operatives, but the pervasive criminal tendencies of the rogue police operatives have become a source of global embarrassment and opprobrium for all of Nigeria.
He made reference to the August 18 arrest of an officer and three others by the Edo State Police Command for armed robbery and extortion in Benin-city, Edo State.
According to Onwubiko, the lives and rights of Nigerian citizens are no longer safe in the hands of law enforcement agencies and other citizens as seen in the brutal killing of Amaye, a female food vendor in Niger State based on alleged blasphemy against Prophet Mohammed.
HURIWA’s call foe police reforms and stoppage of military extortions, especially in the Southeast, comes on the heels of Niger State police confirmation of the crime by a mob.
Recall that the Niger State restaurant owner was burnt alive over an alleged blasphemous utterance against the Islamic faith before security reinforcement could arrive.
HURIWA in its statement firmly buttressed that it is unconstitutional for law enforcement agencies and the armed forces to habitually and constantly sabotage the enforcement of the rule of law and bring perpetrators of extrajudicial killings to justice.
“These killings are intolerable and absolutely unconstitutional and must be stopped. Section 33(1) of the 1999 constitution provides that “Every person has a right to life, and no one SHALL be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of alleged criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.”
Onwubiko reaffirmed the urgent need for reforms amongst the law enforcement agencies.
“This is the time to realistically address through cocktails of robust police reforms including the unbundling of the Nigeria Police Force and the institutionalisation of the state police through the appropriate amendments of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
The civil right advocate group then highlighted the misconduct of the military force particularly in the south east region demanding supervision by the chief of Army Staff to stop the corruption and harassment of road users openly taking place in the hundreds of roadblocks mounted by soldiers in the States of Southeast of Nigeria.
HURIWA further cited examples of pervasive acts of criminal extortion in military checkpoints in Imo state and the dozens of checkpoints manned by police and military from Onitsha Anambra State to Owerri and from Enugu, Okigwe, Umuahia and Aba.
“We are appealing once more to the Army to revitalise the Army’s human rights desks and educate citizens on ways and means to approach the Army’s hierarchy with petitions over human rights violations for immediate and acceptable redress.
The civil rights group further appealed to governors of the 36 States to set up monitoring commissions in their states to more strategically protect their people and citizens from human rights violations committed by the police in their line of either legal or illegal duties in their states.
