The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, on Tuesday restated the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to the protection of human rights through strict adherence to professional policing.
Idris gave the assurance at the International Civil Society Seminar on Counter Insurgency organised by Global Amnesty Watch in partnership with Conscience Nigeria (CN), an NGO, in Abuja.
The theme of the seminar was “ Counter Insurgency: Human Rights and Good Governance in the Context of the Nigeria Situation“.
He said that protection of human rights was a core function of the Nigeria police, adding that the force had constantly formulated policies and disciplinary measures that would galvanise its relationship with the public.
The I-G, represented by the FCT Commissioner of Police Command, Musa Kimo, said police would not wait for report of human rights observers before checkmating or launching investigation into alleged human rights abuses.
He said that the police management team did not only make human rights a subject of lecture in its daily briefings but had set-up the IGP Complaints Rapid Response Unit.
He explained that the complaint unit was domiciled in all States Command and the Force Headquarters, adding that the units had long been launched and maintained a Link in the Nigeria Police website.
“ Reports to this unit are professionally investigated with disciplinary measures enforced accordingly.
“ I urge the public and Human Rights Observers to explore these opportunities, subject some media reports of human rights abuse and participate in the investigation to provide evidence through these units before publishing their conclusions.
“ The Nigeria police may though not act as spokesperson for others accused of human rights abuses but as a lead agency in internal security, the police may say that human rights violations are myth rather than reality.
“ Agreed, that in the course of counter insurgency operations, there have been some couple of operational mistakes leading to death, arrest and detention of some persons but they are being exaggerated by human rights observers.“
The I-G said that human rights observers mostly depended on media reports without bothering to crosscheck and ascertain the authenticity or otherwise of what the media reported.
Idris, therefore, advocated synergy between the security forces and human rights observers with a view to addressing mutual suspicion between them.
The spokesman of the Nigerian Army, Bri.-Gen. Sani Usman, said the issue of human rights protection was paramount to the Nigerian army.
Usman said that the Nigeria Army had established a Human Rights Desk and reached out to both local and international stakeholders on human rights related issues.
“ Every single complaint of human rights abuse that is brought to us is thoroughly investigated in order to ascertain the allegation and take appropriate measures,“ he said.
Mr Tosin Adeyanju, the Executive Director, Conscience Nigeria, an NGO, said the seminar would enhance better relationship and understanding between the security agencies and human rights observers in the country. (NAN)