From Fred Ezeh, Abuja
Lygel Youths and Leadership Initiatives, a Youth Advocacy Organization, has asked for wholistic reform of the Police Force, and regular retraining of its officers
The suggestion was in response to the recent national outcry over the prolonged detention and arraignment of over 70 minors that participated in the #endbadgovernance protest in August.
The Organization stated that the actions of the Police was a complete violation of Child Rights Act, which comes with severe punishment, hence the call for the IGP to resign, or be sacked by the President.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, the Director of Legal and Compliance of the Organization, Lekan Oladapo, said, “It is becoming worrisome that the police abuse on citizens has degenerated to violence on the minors without any pretext.
“Our organization considered it an aberration to the law and common sense, putting the Nigerian children in such a despicable human condition. The recent arrest, incarceration and the arraignment of the minors under pitiable condition are condemnable because it was in total violation of the Child Rights Act.
“The rights of the minors are non-negotiable and non-derogable as far as Section 11 of the Child’s Rights and Section 34 of the Constitution are concerned. It is obvious that the way and manner the minors were detained, lumped with the adult detainees was a violent breach of their rights to the human dignity on which the violation cannot be ordinarily compensated.
“It was a whole dehumanization of the minors as a class of humanity. To us, it was not enough for the responsible government to strike out the case of the court. It is imperative as a healing process to fish out the direct perpetrators of the inhumanity and allow them to face the consequence of their action.
“Without fear of contradictions, the IGP should be relieved of his duty as a responsible officer of this ignominious act, after all, he has outlived his statutory tenure in the service. Mr. President and the Police Council must wade in to salvage Nigerians from the messy situation we find ourselves. The IGP has arrogated so much power to himself that needed to be checkmated.
“It is not surprising, going by the facts on the record that the IGP does not only, by his act of disobedience to law and the Nigerian Constitution affecting the ordinary Nigerian, but by the extension, his immediate constituency.”
Oladapo stated that if actions are not taken as regards their demand, they might be forced to take the needed legal actions to compel the President and the Police Council to do the needful.