Worried by accusations of Rights abuses, the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) commenced a four-day human rights training for senior police officers in Rivers state and Bayelsa state.

The Human Right Training workshop, which was declared opened by the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim K. Idris who was represented by the DIG in charge of training, Emmanuel IYANG in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital.

Emmanuel Iyang during the workshop said the training is expected to look at human rights issues including access to information and accountability, speeding up criminal justice process, rights of persons under detention, prevention of torture, gender issues and use of force and firearms.

DIG Emmanuel tasked police officers to always have it in mind that citizens must not be arrased or intimidated until proven guilty of any offence at the court of law and emphasized that his officers and men of the police should practice what they have learned during the training.

On his part, the commissioner of police, Rivers state CP Zaki Ahmed in his welcome speech said the seminal came at the right time which will help the police to have a better conduct among members of the public.

Meanwhile, the Representative of the National Office on drug control, Uju Agumuo said there is an urgent need to multiply what is learnt from the workshop among others who are not present at the meeting; while other stakeholders during the exercise also call on the federal government on the issues of better welfare for the police officers as a means of motivation in the cause of their duty.
CP Zaki Ahmed however reassure changes in the police activities in dealing with citizens, urging senior officers to take what they have learnt to train other junior officers in Rivers and Bayelsa states.

Report by Converter Elisha