POLICY BASED ON HUMAN RIGHTS: IGP CEMENTS SYNERGY WITH NHRC, APPOINS LIAISON OFFICERS IN STATESAs IGP Receives NHRC Chairperson, Council Members
On Wednesday, May 11, 2022, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc, hosted the Chairperson Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Dr. Salamatu Husseini Suleiman, and other council members in his office at Louis Edet House, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
The visit sparked a fruitful conversation about fostering human rights practices and ensuring a better interface between the Police and the NHRC in order to facilitate prompt responses to cases of human rights abuse while ensuring top-notch professionalism on the part of both institutions. While recognizing the Nigeria Police Force as a key partner in carrying out its mandate of promoting, protecting, and enforcing human rights, the NHRC Chairperson discussed the possibility of having contact persons at various police commands for effective handling of human rights-related cases.
In response, the IGP has directed the immediate designation of all Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) across Zonal and State Commands as NHRC Liaison Officers with the mandate to ensure compliance with the provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act/Laws (ACJA/ACJL) during investigations, interrogations, and evidence gathering, as well as the resuscitation of Human Rights Detainees.
The IGP, assisted by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, psc(+) mni, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, mnipr, mipra, and the Commissioner of Police in charge of the Force Legal Department, CP Abbas Ochogwu, charged the NHRC to instruct their officials in charge of various States to constantly work hand-in-hand with the Police Liaison Officers for seamless collaboration and laudable results.
While assuring his administration’s commitment to achieving improved human-rights-driven policing in line with his policing agenda, the Inspector-General of Police expressed willingness to cement the already established collaboration with the NHRC to accelerate reforms that will increase public trust and confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
