‘Human Rights Violators To Be Punished’—Police Boss

By Astro Jewoola

The new Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo, has said that human rights and respect for the rule of law will not be negotiable, and violators of human rights will be dealt with.

He made this declaration at the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, during a formal presentation of about 193 Human Rights Police Trainees to the Executive Director, Crime Victims Foundation, Mrs. Gloria Egbuji.

Responding, Egbuji emphasized the importance of the programme which she said was designed for the police to be more professional. The course consists of ten units which, after the completion, would enable officers to effectively cope with democratic governance, reforms and public/private partnership for better Nigeria, with emphasis on the rule of law and human rights towards quality police-citizens service delivery in the state. She added that, “It will also enable them adopt the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) method.”

She explained further that courses offered include human rights awareness, police power, investigative interviewing, international human rights standards of law enforcement and intra-personal skills.

The challenges facing the programme, according to Egbuji, are resistance to change, especially by some Divisional Police Officers, funding and basic tools such as vehicles and public address system among others.

Addressing the participants, the Police Commissioner warned that, “the era of police brutality and lawlessness was over.

“The human rights course will be recommended for all policemen, including DPOs. There will be zero tolerance for crimes in the state. We will do our best and I am sure God is in control. So, any violator of human rights will be decisively dealt with.”