Grace Musa
Stakeholders in Kaduna State have called for measurable police reforms, stronger accountability mechanisms and full compliance with criminal justice standards as part of efforts to address growing insecurity in the state.
The call was made during a two-day Citizens’ Engagement on Community Policing Practice and Reform Agenda organised by the CLEEN Foundation in Kaduna.
Rebuilding Trust Between Citizens and Police
Speaking at the event, the Executive Director of CLEEN Foundation, Peter Maduoma, said effective policing cannot succeed without rebuilding trust between citizens and law enforcement agencies.
Maduoma who spoke through the Senior Program Officer at the Foundation, Bernard Ekoboy, noted that although the Police Act 2020 provides a framework for reform, security realities in states such as Kaduna remain complex, with persistent cases of banditry, communal clashes, farmer–herder tensions and urban crime.
According to him, weak communication channels and ineffective feedback mechanisms have deepened mistrust between communities and the police.
“Our goal is to move beyond complaints to actionable solutions,” Maduoma said, adding that the forum was structured to generate a Charter of Demands outlining expectations for police professionalism and defining community oversight responsibilities.
He urged officers of the Nigeria Police Force to view citizens’ feedback as constructive input for institutional improvement, while encouraging civil society groups to promote responsible engagement and discourage the spread of misinformation.
Human Rights and Justice Standards
In his remarks, Dr Terngu Gwar, Kaduna State Coordinator of the National Human Rights Commission and Chairman of the Kaduna Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) State Level Working Group, emphasised that security and human rights must be mutually reinforcing.
He stressed the importance of implementing the Administration of Criminal Justice Law, noting that it sets standards for lawful arrests, detention procedures, bail conditions, access to legal representation and protection of vulnerable persons.
Gwar said adherence to these safeguards would strengthen public confidence in the justice system, while violations such as unlawful detention and torture undermine legitimacy and cooperation.
He also acknowledged operational challenges facing the police, including personnel shortages, funding constraints, welfare concerns and increasingly sophisticated criminal networks.
Police Commit to Joint Effort
Receiving the charter of demand on Police-Community Relations on behalf of the Kaduna State Police Command, Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration and Finance, Abdulkadir Yahaya, described policing as a joint effort.
He urged the community to see the police as one of them and help them to make society safer by providing them with authentic information.
Chairman of the Police-Community Relations Committee in the State, Sanusi Muhammed, called for regular community dialogue to strengthen the existing relationship with the Police.
He was particularly concerned that inadequate information from the police to the members of the society hinders community policing.
“A situation whereby an arrested criminal suspect finds his way back into the society without information on why that happened further pitch the Police against the people,” he said.
Call for Funding, Intelligence and Capacity Building
Earlier, Chairperson of the Federation of Women Lawyers, Barrister Funke Bamikole, harped on improved funding, intelligence gathering and regular capacity building for men and officers of the Nigerian Police.
Priority Areas for Reform
Participants at the engagement which include representatives of the Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Bar Association, Federation of Women Lawyers, Media, Civil Society among others identified restoring public trust, strengthening accountability systems and deepening civic responsibility as priority areas for reform.
Middle-Belt Times 