A Stakeholders Partnership Town Hall Meeting on Promoting Human Rights, Law Enforcement Accountability and Effective Criminal Justice Administration in Lagos State

In partnership and with the support of International IDEA, Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC, organized in collaboration with Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability a town hall meeting centered on: ‘Strengthening Stakeholding and Partnership in Promoting Human Rights, Law Enforcement Accountability and Effective Criminal Justice Administration in Lagos State’.

The event which had in attendance; Lagos State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, represented by Inumidun Shonare, The Executive Director, RULAAC, Okechukwu Nwanguma, who was represented at the event by Barrister Samuel Akpologun, Dr Lucas Koyejo, the director of NHRC in Lagos, Mr. Samson Onwusonye of International IDEA, Felicitas Aigbogun-Brai of Lagos Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability, Blessing Abiri from CLEEN Foundation and the chairman of the event, Malachy Ugwummadu.

The Attorney General of Lagos State and Commissioner for Justice, Lawal Pedro (SAN), has lamented the disregard of some provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) by the police. In particular, Pedro cited the parade of suspects before journalists, the non-recording of suspects’ statements on video when they arrive at police stations, and the arrest of others in the place of suspected offenders, among the breaches. Highlighting the primacy of the ACJL in safeguarding human rights of Nigerians, Pedro said: “For example, let’s take a look at Section 4 (1) of the ACJL amendment, where it states that: “A person shall not be arrested instead of any other person in a criminal matter” and the law further states in subsection (4): “A person or law enforcement officer who arrests in contravention of subsection (1) of this section commits an offence and is liable for misconduct”.

He further added: “Another progress of the ACJL is the regulations for the humane treatment of arrested individuals this is display in Section 9A of the Law which states that: “As from the commencement of this Law, the Police shall refrain from parading any suspect before the media. Furthermore, the ACJL provides for the recording of statements and the use of technology, to enhance the accuracy and transparency of the system by reducing the issue of involuntariness of statement being raised by defendants when confessional statements are being tendered in Court.” Some of the provisions of the ACJL face disregard from the police”, says Pedro.

Earlier in his welcome remark, Executive Director, RULAAC, Mr Okechukwu Nwagunma , explained that the town hall meeting was part of an ongoing commitment to fostering dialogue and collaboration between civil society organizations, law enforcement agencies, and other stakeholders, as well as an avenue to reflect on the progress and challenges faced in promoting human rights and accountability within the policing systems.

He further explained that the Lagos State Stakeholders Forum on Police Accountability was established in 2018 under the Nigeria Policing Project ,NPP of the British Council with the aim to create a robust platform for civil society organizations, including the National Human Rights Commission (Southwest), to engage with the police and other criminal justice institutions. He highlighted the goals of the town hall meeting to include strengthening engagement, building capacity and promoting awareness.

“We aim to strengthen the dialogue between police accountability units and the community. By sharing insights, experiences, and challenges, we can foster a mutual understanding that leads to more effective policing strategies and enhanced community safety.

“We will discuss initiatives to further build the capacity of police accountability units, ensuring they are equipped to address the concerns of citizens. This involves training, support, and the establishment of clear channels for reporting and addressing grievances related to law enforcement practices.

“It is crucial that citizens are aware of their rights and the mechanisms available to them. Through this Town Hall, we hope to raise awareness about human rights and the importance of accountability within our law enforcement agencies, encouraging an active and informed citizenry”.

To climax this event, the chairman of the event, Mr. Ugwummadu commended the efforts of the organizers of the event as well as faulting the absence of Police at the town hall despite being featured in the programme.

RULAAC.