Tuesday, February 11, 2014

FG blamed for extrajudicial killings by police


Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria (NOPRIN Foundation), a nongovernmental organization, has accused the Federal government of promoting police brutality, extra-judicial killings and other forms of abuses in the country.
NOPRIN’s spokesman, Mr. Okechukwu Nwanguma described as worrisome, the trend of government allowing perpetrators of human right abuses to go Scot free. According to him, as long as violators of human right abuses were not brought to account, impunity will entrenched.
He added: “A culture of impunity protects police officers involved in police brutality, extrajudicial killings, corruption and abuse. The Nigerian government has repeatedly expressed willingness to address the problems in the criminal justice system, improve access to justice and reform the Nigeria Police Force. Despite several Presidential Committees on Police Reforms in recent years, which presented detailed recommendation for improvement, little has been done.”
Nwanguma said that Nigerians as a whole must begin to take interest in the disturbing issue of police abuse in order to put an end to the rampant police killings of citizens. “If we allow these killings and abuse of human dignity to go unchallenged without the perpetrators brought to account, the lives of every one of us will remain at risk in the hands of those paid through our tax and commonwealth to protect us and our properties,” said Nwanguma.

No comments: