POLICE RECEIVE KNOCKS, AS STAKEHOLDERS REVIEW HUMAN RIGHTS, POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION IN LAGOS

POLICE RECEIVE KNOCKS, AS STAKEHOLDERS REVIEW HUMAN RIGHTS, POLICE ACCOUNTABILITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE ADMINISTRATION IN LAGOS The Lagos State Government has slammed the police for noncompliance with some provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, ACJL, which are meant to guarantee the rights of citizens. These include the prohibition of media parade of suspects, arrest of suspects by proxy, prolonged detention of suspects and the recording of statements of accused persons. The State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, LAWAL PEDRO, made this known in a presentation at a town hall meeting on human rights, police accountability and administration of criminal justice in Lagos. PEDRO, who is a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was represented by his Senior Special Assistant, INUMIDUN SOLARIN, at the event organised by the Rule of Law and Accountability Advocacy Centre, RULAAC.  In another presentation, the Lagos State Director of the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, Lucas Koyejo, observed that cases of human rights violation by the police persist in Lagos due to lack of measures to ensure accountability. Koyejo complained that the Lagos State Government was yet to act of some recommendations of the EndSARS Judicial Panel of Inquiry of 2020, based on lapses in police accountability. He said panel, among other recommendations, proposed the creation of the Lagos State Human Rights Committee to address related issues, including to recommend sanctions against erring personnel and award compensation for victims of police brutality.  The NHRC Director identified corruption, political interference in police appointment and operations, as well as disobedience of court orders as other setbacks for police accountability in Lagos State. He canvassed for greater independence, adequate funding and the support of all stakeholders for the National Human Rights Commission to become more effective in its oversight functions over law enforcement agencies. On his part, human rights lawyer, Malachy Ugwummadu, who chaired the town hall meeting, challenged the Lagos State Government to take more drastic steps to ensure total compliance with provisions of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law. Ugwummadu particularly stressed the need for strict adherence to the provision of noncustodial sentences in the ACJL, as well as improved infrastructure for law enforcement and justice administration in the state.  However, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police was absent at the town hall meeting and did not send any representative, although he was schedule to make a presentation on public safety, policing and human rights in Lagos State.