A non-governmental organization has called for increased synergy between security agents and citizens in the country to reduce the rate of human rights violations.
The Network on Police Reforms in Nigeria at a two-day summit said it is working on reforms that will be responsive to the needs of the common man as well as the protection of the lives of the citizens of the country.
The National Coordinator, Ikule Emmanuel speaking on the theme “Youth Inclusion in Police Reforms”, said the meeting is to give the youths the opportunity to suggest solutions to the issue of police reforms and to foster a good community-police relationship.
“We have identified that there is a gap between the police and the youths. When issues are left unattended to it tends to widen the gap between the police and the community. So there is the need for us to come together and have a clear level working ground so that the country can develop”
“There has been a series of human rights abuses which are under-reported in the country, particularly in the northeast and North-west zone. As an organization, we have organized public tribunals in four geopolitical zones of Imo, Rivers, Abuja and Lagos state where victims of human rights abuses can report and get justice ”
Presenting a paper on “Tackling insecurity in the North-east of Nigeria: Collaborative role of Youths and Police in crime detection and Human rights Abuses”, a senior lecturer at the Department of Business Administration and Management, Federal Polytechnic Bauchi, Aniekan Mende, recommended that to restore security, peace and order in the Northeast region, kidnappers, bandits and insurgents must be pro-actively tackled by the police in collaboration with other security stakeholders, including Youth groups in rural communities.
He said adequate infrastructures should be created to engage the youths who may be easily recruited by criminal groups to cause insecurity in the region, stressing that gainful engagements would take the minds of youths away from crime.
