A non-governmental organisation, International Alert, in collaboration with the Training Department of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), has conducted a specialised training workshop in Kano State.
The workshop brought together trainers from 19 police academies across Nigeria, aiming to incorporate gender sensitivity into the training modules for police cadets.
The two-day workshop, titled “Needs Assessment on the Police Act 2020, Access to Criminal Justice Administration (ACJA), Gender Awareness/Sexual and Gender-Based Violence Prevention and Learning Effectiveness,” provided a comprehensive overview of critical legislation and gender awareness.
Speaking at the event, the Country Director of International Alert, Dr. Paul Nyulaku-Bemshima, emphasised the importance of training in enhancing the operational effectiveness of the police force.
He stated that training is the hallmark and the heart of operational effectiveness and noted that the key outcomes would help participants better understand the Police Act 2020 and its application in improving public safety and security in Nigeria.
“We are using an experiential method for this workshop, recognising that they have also brought lots of knowledge into the workshop,” Nyulaku-Bemshima stated.
He added that an evaluation will follow the training to determine areas where the participants’ expertise can further be applied. Additionally, the training aims to develop a manual of key elements to be used in police academies nationwide.
The Commissioner of Police in Charge of Training the Nigeria Police Force Headquarters, CP Rashid Afegbua, reinforced the NPF’s commitment to police reforms. He highlighted the significance of the Police Act 2020 and the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) as foundational laws that guide police operations.
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Afegbua expressed optimism that the collaboration with International Alert would simplify these documents, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of police training.
“We are doing everything we can to make sure that we adopt some changes so that the public will appreciate us more. Policing is for everybody,” he remarked, emphasising the roles of both state and non-state actors in fostering a better policing environment.
He also emphasised the NPF’s commitment to gender inclusion, noting that the recent appointment of women to top positions reflects the dedication of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, to gender parity.
In a session led by Professor Magdalyn Dura, Dean of the Faculty of Law at Bingham University, Abuja, participants examined gender sensitivity in the Police Act 2020.
Dura highlighted the need for every component of the police training module to consider gender inclusivity, stating, “Gender-sensitive policing will now take you to the idea of what is gender itself, what is gender-based violence…all those forms will come under gender-sensitive policing.”
Participants expressed appreciation for the workshop, praising the organisers’ dedication to fostering a more inclusive and effective police force.
SP Julius Chukwuemeka of the Nigeria Police Academy, Wudil, described the workshop as well-packaged, well-facilitated, and well-delivered.
“We are very, very grateful for what they’ve done and we believe that they won’t stop here. We have learned a lot and it has made us to be more prepared to offer more to our cadets and recruits as the case may be,” he said.
ASP Faith Dadagbo of the National Institute of Police Studies, Abuja, highlighted the value of equipping female officers to meet the evolving demands of their roles.
“Gender as training has to be taken seriously in all our trainings like we discussed in the program or the workshop. Every female officer needs to understand their role as a police officer,” she stated.
Supported by the UK Integrated Security Fund, the training exposed officers to effective communication tools and simplified methodologies, ensuring the heavy content of the Police Act 2020 could be more easily understood and applied within the Nigerian Police Force.
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