A network of Civil Society Organizations, CSOs, NOPRIN Foundation, has advocated for partnership between the youths and the police to enhance security of lives and property in local communities.
National Coordinator of NOPRIN Foundation, Mr Emmanuel Ikule, a two-day youth summit, organised by NOPRIN in collaboration with State Ministries of Youths and Sports, with support from MacArthur Foundation.
The summit with the theme, “Youth Inclusion in Police Reforms,” had participants drawn from the north central states including: Nasarawa, Plateau, Kogi, Niger, Kwara, Benue and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT.
According to Ikule the delineation of the youths and other important groups in discussions on police reforms agenda in the country has not only created a gulf between the police and the youths but also suspicion among them.
He said the summit, which is part of activities of the foundation’s “strengthening police reforms project” is aimed at bridging the gap between the police and youths by addressing the delineation of the youths in policing in Nigeria and ensuring their inclusivity in the police reform process.
Ikule noted that accumulated police brutal handling of youths across the nation has also strained relationship between the two, hence, the foundation is hoping to strengthen the relationships for better policing across the country
Also speaking two resource persons at the event, Dr. Victoria Daaor of Elohim Development Foundation and immediate past Chairman of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, Makurdi chapter, Barr. Justin Gbagir, attributed causes of insecurity in Nigeria to the rise in criminal groups, government inability to secure the lives and properties of Nigerians, brutalization of innocent citizens, disruption of academic activities among others.
Both speakers recommended youth skills acquisition and youth engagement, police-youths partnership, protection of whistleblowing, training of community volunteers and guards, building trust with the youths and mass sensitization of the youths on dangers of crime as solutions to tackling the situation.
Daaor, who expressed worry over the increasing rate of crime and human rights abuses said, “I think the police need to engage the youths at the community level. Every community has an arrangement they made for security. It might be crooked, they might not have the expertise but its an attempt to make the community safe.
“The police can begin to engage those structures with the help of community leaders and traditional heads, strengthen them, encourage the young ones by teaching them modern ways of security, carry out training and sensitisation of groups to enable them controller to policing their areas.
In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, in Benue State, CP Wale Abbas, represented by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Catherine Anene, acknowledged that reforms that will bridge the gaps in police relationship with the public will engender effective policing of the nation.
Abbas described the summit as apt and called on the government to improve the working conditions of officers by improving funding for better welfare, recruitment, training and equipment of the force for better results.