By Patience Ogbo/
Network for Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN) has called on the government and police authorities to do more to stop extrajudicial killings in the country.
Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, NOPRIN’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Ikule, said the group strongly condemned extrajudicial killings.
His words: “As a network committed to promoting police accountability and respect for human rights, we saw it pertinent to direct our cries to the government about the state of affairs in Nigeria before we lose our voice and there is no one to mourn. Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution states that every person has a right to life and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life except in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he had been found guilty in Nigeria.”
Speaking on ways to stop extrajudicial killings in Nigeria Mr Ikule said.
“In light of an increase in extrajudicial killings, the call for reform of SARS Unit of the Nigeria Police Force can no longer be easily disregarded. There should be proper training and retraining not necessarily disarming them as some suggested.
“The highest authority should demonstrate their total opposition to extrajudicial killings. Those in charge of the security forces should maintain a strict chain of command control. Force should be used only when strictly necessary. There is a need to stop death squad, private armies, criminal gangs and paramilitary forces operating outside the chain of command.
“There should be increased funding for the police force as well as increased remuneration for the officers. The government should ratify inter treaties containing safeguards and remedies against extrajudicial execution including International covenant on civil and political rights and its first optional protocol which provides for individual complaints.”
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