The National Youth Caucus of the KOWA Party has called on the Federal Government to ensure a holistic reform of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to enable it discharges its duties optimally.
Mr Jude Feranmi, the National Youth Leader of the party, said this at a news conference on Friday in Ogba, a suburb of Lagos.
Feranmi said that the force was not able to discharge its duties to the public as it should do because they did not have enough tools.
He said: “There is the need for a wholesome reform of the entire police force starting with a review of its budgetary allocations.
“It also includes providing transparency and accountability measures that will ensure that budgetary allocations to it are put to appropriate use’’.
According to him, the National Assembly (NASS) needs to review urgently the budgetary allocations to the force in the 2018 Appropriation Act.
The youth leader appealed to the Federal Government to incorporate human rights and service-oriented trainings into the NPF curriculum.
According to him, this is with a view to ensuring that every police officer understands that his primary role is to the people.
Feranmi said that the special unit of the NPF created to address citizens’ complaints should be trained on how to handle and manage uncivilized acts against its officers and men by Nigerians.
He noted that the police ignoring complaints lodged by the public was nothing but an act of disrespect against tax payers.
Feranmi urged the government to ensure that competent, ethical and morally upright officers were selected to assume positions of authority in the force.
He said: “We must have officers who inspire good behaviours, have respect for the rule of law and bravery in the force.’’
The KOWA youth leader recommended specific training for officers of the force that would enable them maintain law and nip in the bud criminal activities.
He said that agencies that had been created to perform similar responsibilities should be absorbed into the police force to ensure adequate management of resources.
Feranmi urged the government to work with Civil Society Organisations with a view to obtaining their inputs in building accountability structures and reforming the force.
He called on the Federal Government to probe allegations of misconduct and brutality levelled against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Unit of the NPF. (NAN)
