Emmanuel Thomas l Monday, February 14, 2022
ABAK, Akwa Ibom, Nigeria – Lack of trust by people of the South –South in the Nigeria Police Force and sympathy for headers who unleash mayhem on host communities by security personnel have been identified as factors responsible for rising insecurity in the South- South region.
These concerns were highlighted in the communiqué issued at the end of Youth and Policing Summit held in Akwa Ibom State, South- South geopolitical zone organized by NOPRIN Foundation in partnership with the CLEEN Foundation, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth and Nigeria Police Force Akwa Ibom State Command with funding support from the MacArthur Foundation.
The communiqué coming at the end of the two day summit observed many instances of accusations/negative perceptions of the Police in the South-South region of Nigeria which include: Trust deficit – leakage of information, releasing suspects apprehended by the police, or vigilante without prosecution, hobnobbing with moneybags with questionable wealth; Brutality; Sympathy for herders who unleash mayhem to host communities; Poor response to emergencies; Policing without human face-Long queues, detention of commuters that fail to grease their palms, overreaching their mandate in a bid to exploit; and incessant arrest of innocent persons on trumped-up charges, and for pecuniary gains has led to an increase in jungle justice.
The communiqué identified key factors that are increasing crime and insecurity in the region as rising unemployment, Limited spaces for admissions, jobs, and lean access to credit facilities, and other means of self-actualization; Market-based economy and absence of social safety nets.
High cost of living and mass pauperization; politicization of values allocation; Governance deficit; Upsurge in youth-related crimes; and Cultism, drug abuse, kidnapping, prostitution, examination malpractices, political thuggery, illegal refineries and bunkering etc as other contributing issues.
The communiqué which was signed by 11 stakeholders, Saviour Akpan Esq. (Chairman BOT NOPRIN); Barr. Theresa Udoka, Legal, COMPPART Foundation; Mr. Patrick Chiekwe, Founder(FOCONE); Mr. Tony S, Mgr. News, Passion FM, Akwa Ibom State; Comrade Fyneface Dumnamene, ED Youth Environment and Advocacy Centre (YEAC); Amaechi Kelechi ED Community Conciliation & Development Initiative (CCADI); Agatha Osieke ED Women & Youth & Children Advocacy Programm (WOYCAP); Comrade Jude Ojiugo-Onochie ED Centre Human rights and Anti-Corruption Initiative (CHACI); Godson Jimy Dorgu ED Mac-Jim Foundation; Nneoyi Ofem Prog. Coordinator NOSAD and Mr. Emmanuel, National Coordinator, NOPRIN Foundation made 34 recommendations which include total reform of the Nigerian Police through Massive funding and provision of infrastructures.
Other recommendations include upgrade on police salary scheme, with emphasis on welfare, emoluments and conditions of service for officers and men which must be scaled up to the level of a living wage, with Life insurance packages, Catering for the widows of those who died on the line of duty and rehabilitation of police barracks to make them habitable and new ones built in major formations
THE COMMUNIQUÉ FROM THE YOUTH AND POLICING SUMMIT IN AKWA IBOM STATE, SOUTH-SOUTH GEO-POLITICAL ZONE IN NIGERIA ON STRENGTHENING POLICE REFORM IN NIGERIA PROJECT HELD AT ABAK, AKWA IBOM STATE ON JANUARY 31ST AND 1ST FEBRUARY, 2022
Introduction/Background:
1. This is the Communiqué from the Youth and Policing Summit in Akwa Ibom State, South-South Geo-Political Zone in Nigeria on Strengthening Police Reform in Nigeria Project Held at SIAOSOA House and Event Centre, Abak, Akwa Ibom State on January 31st and 1st February, 2022.
2. The Youth and Policing Summit was organized by NOPRIN Foundation in partnership with the CLEEN Foundation, Akwa Ibom State Ministry of Youth and Nigeria Police Force Akwa Ibom State Command with funding support from the MacArthur Foundation. The aim of meeting was to promote participation and youth inclusiveness in police reform agenda, and building a better youth-police relationship and youth-friendly policing in Nigeria.
3. The Summit is a part of the project activities under the Strengthening Police Reform in Nigeria project been implement in Nigeria by CLEEN Foundation, NOPRIN Foundation, RULAAC, NHRC, Office of the President on Police Reforms and Office of the Vice President on Rule of Law. The goal of this project is to entrench a rights-respecting policing atmosphere in Nigeria in line with democratic values through government implementation of the various police reform recommendations in Nigeria.
4. The project objectives include: To advocate for implementation of past police reforms by the government and the police as an institution; Enhance Policing accountability on human rights abuses through capacity building of the police and oversight agencies; Improve transparency of the Police Trust Fund through awareness and monitoring of Police Trust Fund activities across the six geo-political zones; and Provide empirical data on Policing strategies and Police handling of gender-based violence cases in Nigeria.
5. The NOPRIN Foundation is a network of 67 civil society organizations spread across Nigeria with its secretariat in Lagos and committed to promoting police accountability and respect for human rights. It was established in 2000 to provide opportunity for civil society input to police reform, and the enhancement of safety, security and justice in Nigeria. NOPRIN partners with national, intergovernmental and international organizations and institutions to execute its programs aimed at transforming law enforcement institutions and practices in Nigeria through monitoring, field research and investigation, documentation, publication, campaign and advocacy.
The Youth Summit participants during their deliberations made the following observations:
1. There is an extreme need for youth inclusivity in security regardless of their direct presence or absence in the Police Force as youths are the most active group of people in our society.
2. That the Nigeria Police have the constitutional roles of maintenance of law and order, crime detection and prevention, and security of lives and property. These responsibilities give the institution enormous powers, including enforcement of public order, arresting and prosecuting crime suspects, stop and search operations, etc.
3. That the #EndSARS protest was a massive reaction to the undemocratic, and abusive form policing in Nigeria. The protest also showed the fragility of the policing structure in the country in that the connection which ought to exist between the police and members of the public has not only dissipated but unfortunately disappearing due to outrageous violations of human rights which calls for urgent attention.
4. That youths in Nigeria, the south-South region, seem to be side-lined as there is no well-established structure to help in reconciling the differences between youths and the police post #ENDSARS protest, and brutal crackdown on illegal refineries.
5. That insecurity in the South -South zone has become a source of major concern, especially with the increase in rate of “jungle justice”.
6. That the key factors that are increasing crime and insecurity in the region among others include: rising unemployment, Limited spaces for admissions, jobs, and lean access to credit facilities, and other means of self-actualization; Market-based economy and absence of social safety nets. High cost of living and mass pauperization; Politicization of values allocation; Governance deficit; Upsurge in youth-related crimes; and Cultism, drug abuse, kidnapping, prostitution, examination malpractices, political thuggery, illegal refineries, bunkering etc.
7. That there are various challenges of negatively affecting Policing in Nigeria such as the training environment and poor working conditions predispose them to aggression which is usually transferred to the public; The Police are understaffed. As of 2020, Nigeria has 371,800 manpower vis-à-vis a roughly 200 million population, including the ungoverned spaces.
8. That the Police are grossly underfunded. The meagre budgetary provisions for logistics and operations are not spared by the entrenched cesspool of corruption; The Police still operate with the colonial legacy of siege mentality; Cat and mouse civic engagement; Politicization of law enforcement; Manipulation of promotions and postings and Poor response to early warning systems and credible intelligence.
9. That there are many instances of accusations/negative perceptions of the Police in the South-South region of Nigeria which include: Trust deficit – leakage of information, releasing suspects apprehended by the police, or vigilante without prosecution, hobnobbing with moneybags with questionable wealth; Brutality; Sympathy for herders who unleash mayhem to host communities; Poor response to emergencies; Policing without human face-Long queues, detention of commuters that fail to grease their palms, overreaching their mandate in a bid to exploit; and incessant arrest of innocent persons on trumped-up charges, and for pecuniary gains. This has led to an increase in jungle justice.
10. That in particular the clashes between the Security personnel and oil bunkers are the major actors in the current security crisis in south-South.
11. That there are growing cases of poor police-public appearances and bad attitude and behaviour of some police officers and this are contributing to poor public perception and image of the Nigeria police.
12. That there is a wide gap in youth-police relationship, poor youth participation and inclusivity in policing in Nigeria and particularly in the south-South region.
Therefore, the Youth Summit participants do hereby agreed and state as follows:
1. The Nigerian Police should be totally reformed through Massive funding and provision of infrastructures and
2. Upgrade on Police salary scheme: The welfare, emoluments and conditions of service for officers and men should be scaled up to the level of a living wage. (a) Life insurance packages (b) Catering for the widows of those who died on the line of duty. (c) Police barracks should be habitable and built in major formations.
3. The issue of shortage of manpower has to be vigorously addressed. The issue of Recruitment between the PSC & NPF should be addressed. There should also be scrutiny in Police recruitment exercises to fish the bad eggs out.
4. Ensure proper and adequate training and retraining of police including training on civic engagement, emotional intelligence, human relations and professionalism.
5. There is an urgent need for the Nigeria Police to be civil and avoid brutality in arrests and general operations in the South-South region.
Nigeria police should always use persuasion, instead of threats or intimidation, to de-escalate rising tensions; and be professional in crime detection.
6. South-South citizens including the youth should always show appreciation and commendation of successful Police operations.; Defending and speaking up for policemen who are vilified or victimized; Cheering up those on duty locations especially under the rain or sun; and Empathizing and using emotional intelligence while relating with them; and Been civil with the Police.
7. There is a need for improved working relationships and synergy between the media and the police to ensure good police-public trust and relationships.
8. There should be improved CSOs advocacy engagement with the States PPRO in the region. Particularly, the CSOs should advocate for increased and proper funding of the PPRO offices in the States to enable them carry out their activities of advancing effective police-public relationship in Nigeria.
9. There should be an improved engagement and inclusion of PLWD in the Police force employment and recruitment process.
10. There should be an end to police corruption, extortion and commercializing the police operations and services in the region.
11. There should be an improved media and CSO partnership and engagement with the Nigeria police toward improved public education and awareness. Media engagement through the electronic media to engage youth and Police. Create social media links for information.
12. Investing in Strategic Dialogue for De-escalation of Tension, inclusive dialogue that has traditional rulers, women organizations, youth groups, security forces, state government officials, and CSOs as critical stakeholders to discuss and evolve solutions to the specificities of insecurity as per each state.
13. Improving the state of security to achieve enhanced youth-police partnership requires regular and frequent consultations among police officers, local communities, vigilantes, youth groups, traditional and religious leaders, and CSOs to blunt areas of friction and build mutual respect, trust and confidence. The police should create programs or fora for positive and robust interactions between their officers and community members.
14. A robust feedback and dissemination strategy should be developed to ensure that reports of human rights abuses are thoroughly investigated and findings are publicly disseminated.
15. There should be a proper resourcing of the Police Complaint Response Unit (PCRU) with the right quality and mix of personnel, facilities, and policy will improve their effectiveness and deepen the prospect of rebuilding public confidence and trust in the police. Proper accountability from the leadership of the Police Force. Accountability of a Policeman who fails to appear in the Court for his misdemeanor or felony. The process of internal control/discipline in the Nigeria police has to be strong and transparent.
16. Parental Background i.e. the parents should know their children and the activities they engaged themselves in.
17. Culprits of crimes should learn to say or report crimes the way it happened to ease stress and enhance quick justice.
18. Giving a post of leadership/authority to a powerful hoodlum in the youth folk leads to parallel government administration, so should be stopped.
19. If you see something, say something – provide accurate information to the Police. Prompt and credible report of information to the Police.
20. Community should carry out a value re-orientation program for its citizens.
Community leadership should ensure active involvement of the youths in the decision making process of the community.
21. There should be periodic multi-stakeholder (youth, chief and elders) awareness creation meetings in collaboration with the Police. Community leadership should institute sanctions or reward systems in the administration of the community.
22. The government through the Ministry of Youth should organize regular quarterly Town Hall Meetings between the youth and the Nigeria Police Force with the Commissioner of Police, Youth in attendance.
23. The Government should support PCRC through regular capacity building on issues around community policing.
24. Government through the Ministry of Information and NOA to promote strategic information on attitudinal change for both youth and Police.
25. Government should create opportunities for employment through social protection programmes.
26. Government should encourage young and dynamic youth to contest for elections.
27. Government should strengthen the judicial system to provide quality access to justice for youth.
28. The Police should make visible their Human Rights Desk known to the public/youth. Establishment of Youth Desk Officers across the Divisional Police Headquarters for effective engagement on youth matters and mobile numbers through which youth can reach them.
29. Reward/Award for most youth friendly Police Stations/Unit in the Zones.
30. Local Government Chairpersons should support Football Competitions between Community Youth and the Police.
31. Government should employ more Lawyers to serve as Police Prosecutors
32. States within South-South yet to domesticate the ACJ Act (2015) should be encouraged to do so. Training and retraining of the Police on ACJL/Act, Police Act, Human Rights.
33. Civil society organisations should scale up advocacy and enlightenment initiatives that help celebrate and appreciate the giant strides and sacrifices of some distinguished women and officers of the police force.
34. NOPRIN should share the outcome of their activities such as workshops to the youth and police community.
Signed on behalf of the Youth & Policing Summit participants:
v Saviour Akpan Esq. (Chairman BOT NOPRIN)
v Barr. Theresa Udoka, Legal, COMPPART Foundation
v Mr. Patrick Chiekwe, Founder(FOCONE)
v Mr. Tony S, Mgr. News, Passion FM, Akwa Ibom State
v Comrade Fyneface Dumnamene, ED Youth Environment and Advocacy Centre (YEAC)
v Amaechi Kelechi ED Community Conciliation & Development Initiative (CCADI)
v Agatha Osieke ED Women & Youth & Children Advocacy Programm (WOYCAP)
v Comrade Jude Ojiugo-Onochie ED Centre Human rights and Anti-Corruption Initiative (CHACI)
v Godson Jimy Dorgu ED Mac-Jim Foundation
v Nneoyi Ofem Prog. Coordinator NOSAD
v Mr. Emmanuel, National Coordinator, NOPRIN Foundation
