‘Human Rights Violations: Police Need More Enlightenment’, Barth Agueigbodo

The men of the Nigeria Police Force need to be trained more on human rights laws, if the current rate of human rights violations is to be curtailed in Nigeria

These were the views of the immediate past Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association Ikeja Branch, Mr Bartholomew Agueigbodo during a parley with a section of the press. He stressed that most Policemen have no idea about the seriousness of human rights violations, and that was the reason why he had taken it upon himself to regularly visit the Criminal Division of Lagos Police Command at Panti, to train them on human right laws and the responsibility of the Police.

“For example, there is no provision of the law that says that you can not bail on weekends, or that someone’s wife cannot bail her husband.”

Agueigbodo added further that the law provides that a Lawyer must be present while a suspect is being interviewed or interrogated by the Police, but they (Lawyers) should not reach their client or try to tell them what to say during interrogation, because this cause of action will get the Police angry with unpalatable consequences. 

While calling on the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), to ensure that Lawyers are trained on dealing effectively with the Police, he also called on the Association to ensure that erring Police Officers are dealt with to serve as a deterrent to other Officers.

“In most cases when a Policeman is recalled for cases of human rights violation, the Officer is normally reposted to another Division or outside the State, but, if they are made to face stiffer punishment, then it will truly serve as a deterrent.”

Speaking on some current challenges facing the NBA, Mr Agueigbodo said that leadership requires great wisdom, and some current crises shouldn’t have been allowed to get to this level because they were avoidable, urging the current leadership to look deeply and apply wisdom.