Niger State: Panel accuses police of insubordination and impunity

The Niger state Judicial panel of Inquiry to investigate alleged Police brutality and abuse of human rights in the state has described insubordination and impunity as a major challenge among the rank and file of the Nigerian Police.

Chairman of the Niger state Judicial of inquiry on police brutality, Justice Ishaku Usman stated this during the presentation of report to the Governor of Niger State.

Justice Usman said the Panel received 17 petitions, 53 witnesses who appeared before it while 50 exhibits were tendered which included; three teeth of a young lady,  three death certificates, 33 empty teargas canisters and four bullet shell.

Justice Usman said during the period of their inquest, they saw the good, the bad and the best of personnel of the Nigeria Police.

He said part of the recommendations of the Panel was that virtue of empathy, which should  be inculcated into the training and re-training of the Nigeria Police personnel so as to make them more humane in handling issues in the society.

Adequate working equipment
Responding, Governor Abubakar Sani Bello who commended the chairman and members of the panel, called on Nigerian government to prioritise the welfare of the police and provide adequate working equipment for optimal performance.

“People make mistakes. Mistakes have been made in the past but I think it is not too late to correct them. The Police and the people must coexist within the ambit of constituted authority,” he stated.

“We need the police, but then, the police need the society. So, we must have a way to abide by laws and other authorities and at the same time we expect them to handle us within the confines of the law.”

The Governor, subsequently, inaugurated a White Paper Committee headed by Bello Dan-Yahaya to go through the report and make recommendations for implementation.

Other members of the White Paper Committee are; Alhaji Adamu Panti Mohammed, Mr. Bala Joseph Dada and the Permanent Secretary, Cabinet and Securities, Aliyu Isah who is to serve as the Secretary.

Governor Abubakar Sani Bello had on the 23rd of October, 2020, inaugurated a 14- man Judicial Panel of Inquiry to, among other things, investigate complaints of  alleged police brutality, abuse of human rights and other extra judicial acts by the disbanded SARS and make recommendations on ways to prevent its reoccurrence

Lateefah Ibrahim