Stakeholders at a two-day Youth and Policing summit in Makurdi, the Benue state capital, have advocated for partnership between the youths and the Nigerian police to properly address issues of insecurity and human rights abuses in the country.
The summit, which was organized by a network of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, NOPRIN Foundation, in collaboration with state Ministry of Youths and Sports and supported by MacArthur Foundation, had participants from the north central states including Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
NOPRIN foundation is a network of 67 CSOs spread across Nigeria and committed to promoting police accountability and respect for human rights, providing opportunities for civil society involvement in the police reforms and the enhancement of safety, security and justice in Nigeria.
Speaking at the event, the National Coordinator of NOPRIN Foundation, Mr Emmanuel Ikule, lamented that youths and other important groups have been left out of discussions on police reforms agenda in the country for long thereby creating a gulf between the police and the youths.
He said the “strengthening police reforms project” is therefore aimed at bridging the gap between the police and youths by addressing the delineation of the youths in policing in Nigeria and ensuring inclusivity of the youths and other critical groups in the process of police reform in Nigeria.
Citing the 2020 ENDSARS protests as a fallout from accumulated police brutal handling of youths across Nigeria, Mr Ikule who noyed that NOPRIN is also on a mission to promote relationships between the police and the general public urged the Nigeria public to empathise with the police whom he said are equally traumatized.
The Commissioner of Police, Benue State Police Command, CP Wale Abbas, represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Catherine Anene, acknowledged the need for reforms that will bridge the gaps in police relationship with the public for effective service delivery.
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She thanked NOPRIN Foundation for organizing a summit for a better police force in Nigeria and called on the government to improve the working conditions of the police by improving its finding, recruitment, training, equipment and welfare of personnell for better results.
The resource persons, Dr. Victoria Daaor of Elohim Development Foundation and immediately past Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Makurdi chapter, Barr. Justin Gbagir, in their separate presentations named rise in criminal groups, government inability to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, political intimidation, over militarization of the public space, brutalization of innocent citizens, disruption of academic activities among others as major causes of insecurity in Nigeria.
As a way out, they recommended youth skills acquisition and employment, police partnership with the public especially, the youths, protection of whistle blowers, training of community volunteers and guards, building trust with the youths and mass sensitization of the youths on dangers of crime.
Participants, Josephine, Paul Ugah and Nick Dechi, who appreciated NOPRIN foundation for the summit said it was timely to sensitize to the youths and the general public on their rights and the importance of partnering with the police for a crime free and peaceful Nigerian society.
