Lawyer urges adequate recognition of police in justice system

Mr James Ibor, the Secretary, Administration of Criminal Justice Monitoring Committee in Cross River, has called for adequate recognition of the police in Nigeria’s justice delivery system.

Ibor who made the call at a meeting on human rights and youth engagement in policing in Calabar on monday, said that the police was the most neglected arm of Nigeria’s justice system.

Speaking at the event with the theme: “Building Bridges, Enhancing Trust and Promoting Human Rights”, he called for adequate funding, equipping and training for the police force.

Our correspondent reports that the event was organised by We the People, and NGO, with sponsorship from the European Union.
The lawyer, also the Co-Founder, Basic Rights Council Initiative, said that insecurity had persisted in the country because the police system was not adequately funded, trained and equipped.

“It is not because the the police cannot respond, it is because the system has not provided the needed facilities, funding and training.
“The budget for the police is grossly inadequate, budgets are not always fully released. In some cases, the officers buy their uniforms themselves.

“Upon retirement after 35 years of service, they are paid peanuts as gratuity and pension, this is not very good,” he said.
He said that the issue of poor policing in the country was a systemic failure which required to be addressed systematically.
“The best way to reduce crime in any community is to provide for the community. Stakeholders should support the police in their communities to ensure efficiency,” he said.

Also speaking, Mr Ken Henshaw, the Executive Director, We the People, said that the meeting was aimed to build bridges of friendship and solidarity between the youth and the police.
Henshaw said that many law enforcement agents viewed the youth with some levels of suspicion, saying, “this engagement is to foster good relationship”.

“I have interacted with many law enforcement agents, I found out that they see the youth as drug addicts, scammers and so on.
“I am aware that there are youths who are decent and law abiding. This engagement is to build a healthy relationship between the police and the youth,” he said.

Also speaking, the Commissioner of Police in Cross River, Bello Afegbua, said that effective engagement between the police and the public was critical to collaboration in crime fighting Represented by ACP Adewale Joshua,the Assistant Commissioner, Operations, Afegbua said that crime would be drastically reduced in the country if the youth worked in synergy with the police.

He urged youths in the state to be law abiding, avoid improper dressing and indulge in acts that would promote peace at all times.
“As for our personnel, we have cautioned them to always approach their duties with the highest level of sincerity and commitment,” he said.