By Barnabas Esiet.
A Coalition of 53 Civil society Organizations, The Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) Foundation, is working with The Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), to engage government, and agencies responsible for protecting citizens’ rights, on more accountability and justice.
At a public presentation of a book titled “Groaning in Pains; the Effect of Bad Policing on Nigerians” the Chairperson Coordinating committee of NOPRIN Foundation, Saviour Akpan, said there has been steady increase in acts of lawlessness, gross misconducts and extra-judicial acts by the police in Nigeria and the world.
“This book Presentation is part of NOPRIN project, with support from OSIWA, to facilitate access to justice where there is perceived infractions and ensure that perpetrators of any form of inhuman or degrading treatments of Nigerians are properly address and the outcome of such not swept under the carpet.’ He noted.
Akpan decried the situation whereby protecting citizens’ rights in Nigeria, by the Police as the gatekeeper to the criminal justice system, has remained a nightmare two decades after the country returned to democracy.
He also condemned government’s attitude of not making public, reports of Commissions of Inquiry and the persistent lack of feedback from the justice system, to reassure the public of actions taken to serve as deterrent to further violations of citizens’ rights with impunity by state agencies like the Police,
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For his part, the representative of OSIWA, Mikang Longjan, said the book will, among other benefits, increase public awareness of police abuses and the means to seek redress as well as push oversight agencies to discharge their duties in a timely manner and more effectively.
.”This book is quite accessible and should be a must-read for all Nigerians, police officers, judges, lawyers, students, academics and policy makers, the book will increase public awareness of police abuses and the means to seek redress” Longjan added.
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