#ReformPoliceNG: NHRC Submits Panel’s Report to PSC For Immediate Implementation

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has submitted the report of the Presidential Investigation Panel on SARS of the Nigerian Police to the Chairman of the  Police Service Commission (PSC), Mr Musliu Smith for immediate implementation.

Mr Tony Ojukwu, the Executive Secretary of the NHRC, while submitting the report, expressed confidence in the ability of the PSC to ensure effective implementation of the report, saying the PSC is a key partner that will play a leading role in Police reforms in Nigeria.

Ojukwu stated that now that the report has been submitted to the PSC, the hope of Nigerians will be raised towards having a more professional and patriotic Police force that will truly exemplify the maxim, “Police is your friend”, which some Nigerians have described as a mirage.

He further said although there are several challenges that hinder government agencies from delivering on their statutory mandates, “we need to be innovative and sometimes add some measure of creativity to do our work despite our challenges”.

According to the NHRC boss, “volume 11 of the main report contains recommendations targeted at bringing the needed reforms in the Police force, adding that the verbatim report will follow later.

In his response, Mr Smith commended the NHRC for the good work it has done in the interest of the public and added that there is the need to put all modalities in place to start the implementation of the recommendations saying, “with what has happened in the last one week, the report has come handy”.

The PSC Chairman who was also a former Inspector General of Police (IGP) said the NHRC’s report has given him an idea of the type of reforms needed to be injected into the Police force to make the officers and men stand out as professionals.

This is not the first time the NHRC will be submitting similar report. The NHRC submitted report of the Presidential Investigation Panel on allegations of human rights violations against SARS to President Mohammadu Buhari, which contains far-reaching recommendations for a total reform of the Nigerian Police Force.

What becomes of this submitted report will determine if Nigeria Police will be reformed or not. Reforming the police will be the best thing for Nigerians. What else do we need to reform in Nigeria to be truly great?