Constitutional Lawyer and former National Secretary of the Labour Party, Kayode Ajulo has lend his voice to the ongoing police reform which has led to protests across the country with the hash tag #EndSARS.
Ajulo in a telephone chat with The Precision NG on Friday morning said Nigerians must get it right this time around by putting an end to police brutality and harassment.
Ajulo who itemized five possible ways by which the Nigerian police force could be reformed also called for the use of body cameras by the officers.
Ajulo said if the bill could be passed into law, he and other stakeholders are ready to supply the Nigerian Police Force SWAT unit with body cameras all for free.
Dr Ajulo who is also the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Egalitarian Mission for Africa added that the fight against desecration of the entrenched principles of rule of law and the reform of the Nigeria Police is a collegial responsibility.
“As a commitment of faith, the organisation I lead, Egalitarian Mission for Africa, and my good self will make available, ex gratia to the Nigerian Police, body cameras to be worn to record the event of every engagement of the Nigeria Police with the civil populace if the Federal Government can immediately amend the provisions of the new Nigeria Police (Establishment) Act, 2020 and the Administration Act, 2015 particularly Section 17 of the Act and any other enabling Acts to mandate compulsory use of police body cameras in all their engagements with the civil populace.
“It suffices to state for record that in policing equipment, body cameras or wearable cameras are essential in modern day policing and are used by law enforcement agents to record their interaction with the public. Aside being used to record crime, same is imperative to ensure police transparency and accountability which will ultimately check abuse of police and restore public confidence in their operations.
“When you get to the developed countries, this is what operates. When we introduce the body cameras, no police officer would misbehaved since be would be tracked with the monitoring device. If per adventure the officer switched the camera off, he or she would be punished in line with the provisions of law,” Ajulo noted.
Below are the five suggestions itemised by the Ondo born lawyer in what he called the “New Level of Protest (NLP)”:
- Drop food for our police at their station.
- When a Policeman/woman approaches you, before you answer his/her question, remind him/her that you love him/her.
3. Commence Operation Renovate Police Stations and Barracks.
4. Lets do all within our resources to help in improving their conditions.
5. Compulsory use of police body camera if passed into law.
“We must reform our Police for a better Nigeria,” Ajulo said.
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