Report Cases Of Human Rights Violations To PPCC – NPF

Nigerians have been advised to report cases of Human Rights
violations by Police Officers to the Police Public Complaints Committee, PPCC for redress.

The Police Public Complaints Committee gave the advice when it embarked on a one day sensitisation to some public places in Abuja.

The campaign was to sensitise Nigerians on their rights to report their unpleasant experiences with Police Officers to the committee.

The Deputy Director, Police Inspectorate Department, Ministry of Police Affairs, Mrs. Rufus-Edegba Immaculate reiterated that PPCC was created as a specialized institution to deal strictly with public complaints against Police Infractions.

She pointed out that the overriding objective of the committee was to serve as a platform that has oversight on the activities of Police Personnel viz-a-viz their interaction with the public.

“We intend to discourage bottled-up frustrations and mob actions and encourage citizens to channel their grievances to the known platform and obtain justice, citizens can go out there to do whatever they want to do within the limit of the law. If they were molested by men in uniform, they have the right channel to seek redress. The general public has a platform to lay their complaints whenever there is the need to do so and to be assured, they will get justice at the end of the day, this will diffuse tension in the country”.

In his contribution, the Commissioner of Police, CP Abaniwonda Olufemi pointed out that the Committee embarked on the sensitization campaign to ensure Nigerians and the general public are aware of the existence of the committee for citizens to lodge complaints against any police that violates their rights.

At the Utako Ultramodern Market, the Chairman, Mr. Nelson Onwuemeodo appreciated the Federal Government’s efforts in putting in place a committee that would address violations of human rights.

The Acting Chairman, Branch One long journey, Jabi Park, Mr. Gabriel Oke thanked the Federal Government for creating the platform for their members to lodge complaints whenever they have issues on the highways with the police and assured the committee of the readiness of the executive to mobilise and enlighten their members on the activities of the committee.

At the Wuse Market a Deputy Director with the Public Complaints Commission, Mrs Ruth Amao Olushola explained that the sensitisation campaign was to educate Nigerians on their rights to be heard when their rights have been trampled on by Police Officers.

The Manager Wuse Market Olufemi Bello who described the sensitisation campaign as a welcomed development reiterated the need to retrain Police Officers to ensure they respect the rights of the citizenry.

Some FCT residents at Wuse Market while appreciating the PPCC for the awareness campaign called for more stringent punitive measures on erring officers.

The sensitization campaign had been held in the six geo-political zones in the country and the PPCC membership comprises the Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission, National Human Rights Commission, Non-Governmental Organisation; Nigeria Police Force; Police Community Relations Committee, Public Complaints Commission and Police Inspectorate Department.

Aisha Adesanya, Edited By Grace Namiji