By Muhammad Nur
The United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) with support from the European Union (EU) and Kano State Ministry of Justice has organised a workshop on the Nigerian Police Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for children who come in contact with the Law.
Speaking at the event on Friday in Kano, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Muhammad Gumel, said the development of the SOPs demonstrate the commitment of the Nigeria Police Force to ensure child friendly policing in the country.
He said that SOPs would offer strategic framework and clear guidelines on procedures for providing services for children and also facilitate timely access to justice.
The police commissioner added that the workshop would build capacity of police officers to enable them to appreciate issues involving children.
Gumel said that the workshop would also go a long way in enlightening security agencies, human rights activists, civil society organisations, Human Right Commission and the judiciary on the issues involving children in a professional manner.
Earlier, the Deputy Commissioner of Police (Gender), Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation, Abuja, Oki Emesim Rita, commended the efforts of the trio organisers in promoting child rights.
She explained that the aim was to ensure child-friendly procedures that were sensitive and responsive to the specific needs and circumstances of children.
Oki-Emesim stressed the need to step down the SOPs to police officers in states and desk officers in the 36 states of the federation to ease cases involving children who come in contact with the law.
According to her, the workshop will educate Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) on how to handle children cases and those involving gender based violence
Mrs Fatima Adamu, the Child Protection Specialist, UNICEF, Kano, explained that the SOPs was developed with support from UNICEF and the European Union to standardise the response of the Nigeria Police Force to cases involving children who come in contact with the law.
She said the significance of the SOPs was also to guide and enlighten policymakers, security agencies, judiciary and other stakeholders on child friendly procedures.
Adamu noted that the exercise was in partnership with the Kano state government with support from UNICEF under the Justice for Children in Kano.
She said that the actors and partners include, Child Protection Network, Ministry of Justice, Nigerian Police, judiciary and ministry of women affairs.
According to her, the workshop was organised to disseminate the SOPs so as to help the Nigerian Police to discharge their duties effectively and efficiently.
The Permanent Secretary, state Ministry of Justice and Solicitor General, Hajiya Amina Yargaya, said that the workshop would help in educating all stakeholders including those in the judiciary on the issues involving children in a professional manner.
Yargaya, who urged the participants to take the training seriously to make an impact with knowledge gained, thanked the EU and UNICEF for the laudable initiative.
Some of the participants who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) commended the state ministry of ministry, EU and UNICEF for organising the workshop.
They also promised to share the knowledge with orders.(NAN)
