By Suleiman Adamu, Sokoto
The Minster for Police Affairs, Muhammadu Maigari Dingyadi on Thursday
said the Federal Government is committed to enhancing the capacity of the police through responsive reforms aimed at promoting rule of law and protection of rights of citizens of the country.
Maigari made the remark at the flagging of the Northwest Police Public Complaint Committee (PPCC) sensitization campaign in Sokoto.
According to the Minister, the PPCC was an initiative to bridge the gap between the police and the public against issues of conduct and infractions on the citizens by the police.
” It is to provide avenue through which the public can channel its complaints on brutality by the police and addressed appropriately .
” It is inline with the President’s quest to achieving better security and national development “, he pointed out.
Dingyadi further assured that he Buhari led administration was determined to internalising responsive initiatives that would improve measures towards having a secured and crime free Nigeria.
This, he stated will further eliminate all crimes and establish a positive but productive mechanisms against unrests and other nefarious activities and tendencies.
He stressed that the PPCC an an oversight platform for the promotion of cordial relation between the police and the public, was his Ministry’s initiative to ensure brutality never find ground against citizens within the space of the police force operational conduct.
According to Dingyadi, the current government would jot leave anything unturned towards leaving a peaceful, secure and a united Nigeria nation better than it inherited in 2015.
He urged the public to see the PPCC as a responsive avenue aimed at boosting synergy and illicit confidence of Nigerians in relation to the conduct and activities of the force .
He said the PPCC is on track with bracing guidelines piloting its operations in order ease the public on all complaints against police personnel infractions on their rights.
Earlier in his goodwill message , AIG Zone 10 comprising Sokoto, Kebbi and Zamfara states, Bello Sani who stood in for the IGP noted that PPCC was a child of necessity to augment the police workforce as search light through which complaints and grievances of citizens would be addressed.
While urging other security agencies to fast track responsive synergy towards securing the country, the Zonal Police Boss noted that despite the numerous challenges , Nigeria has made tremendous progress in the area of security.
” With PPCC, we shall be more committed in synergy towards a more secured, safe and peaceful nation for the prosperity of citizens”, he assured.
Also, the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar represented by Alhaji Aliyu Baraden Wamakko commended FG and the Minister of Police Affairs for the initiative that would give the common man more confidence and courage to lay heir grievances where their eights were trampled on.
He further called on the Minister to ensure the establishment of similar committee across the 774 local government areas in the country .
In the same vein, Rev. Fr. Nuhu Iliya of the Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN) represented by a top echelon of the association thanked the organisers of the event , noting that it will strengthen the trust and confidence of the public in the police.
According to him, Sokoto has been peaceful and both Christians and Muslims were conducting activities without discrimination .
He expressed concerns over the growing insecurity that has deepened public fears as a result of he killings.
” Nigerians are not happy with the killings across the country. We are convinced that with the PPCC, our minds will be sensitized for positive results “, he pointed out.
His Muslim counterpart and the Sarkin Yakin Gagi , Alhaji Sani Umar Jabbi described the gap initiative aimed at providing genuine avenue for the channeling complaints as well participation of those in the grassroot also appealed to the Muslim congregation to support the drive for he peace and unity of all towards justice, equity and fairness against any form of police brutality and violation of their rights.
He noted that the confidence of the public in the police was a sensitive issue that he believed the PPCC would address in line with the current security challenges while urging government at all levels to brace up and invest more in security as the country was fast demographically rising amid crises.
Accordingly, representing the Sokoto state Government, Abdulkadir Muhammad Ahmed noted that the establishment of the committee was a positive sign that the commitment of FG to reforming the police force was not in doubt.
He observed that the public and police relations in Sokoto was cordial , stressing that ” what we see at check points and other duty points demonstrates how cordial we are in Sokoto.
” Also, the police is in full compliance with the guidelines in the administration
justice in the state”, he stated.
In his welcome address, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Affairs, Temitope Fashedemi said the essensce of the committee was to check the unprofessional conduct of the police against the citizens noting that ” it will serve as platform between the public and police in order to better secure citizens .
” It will also tame angry occurrences which are capable of illiciting distrust , apathy and lost of goodwill in the police force.”
According to Fashedemi who also noted that the committee was established to brace the quest for positive reform within the force, called for synchronised synergy and responsive partnership in intelligence gathering for modern and professional policing against criminal activities for he rule of law to prevail on right course.
However , NANS, JCC and Productive Youth Development Initiative among other NGOs were at the sensitization event which also featured discussants on various aspects relevant to the establishment , operations and information channels to enhance and sustain better approach to conducting activities of PPCC.
