September 21, (THEWILL) – The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has strongly condemned the alleged abduction and extortion of a TikToker by some officers of the Rivers State Police Command, describing it as a gross violation of human rights and a manifestation of the endemic police brutality in Nigeria.
The group, in a statement issued on Thursday, by the National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, said it was appalled by the video posted by the victim, who identified himself as @thekaypersona on TikTok, narrating how he was picked up by police officers while on a boat trip and held for ransom at a police station.
The human rights group said the video, which has gone viral on social media, exposed the horrific ordeal of the victim, who claimed he was not told why he was arrested or where he was being taken. He said he was eventually forced to pay N50,000 to secure his release after spending several hours in a cell.
HURIWA said the incident was one of the many cases of professional indiscipline and misconduct in the Nigeria Police Force that have become unprecedented. The group bemoans some of these cases reported by Amnesty International and other human rights organisations.
HURIWA expressed strong dissatisfaction with how the Police Service Commission (PSC) has continued to decline in the performance of its statutory roles of overseeing the recruitment, promotion, discipline, and dismissal of police officers.
They said it was imperative to identify why the PSC is almost non-functional, including the persistent appointment of former Inspectors General of Police (IGPs) as Chairman and chief executives of the PSC as the fundamental reason for the consistent degradation of competencies in the Commission.
The group also questioned why the PSC is still not financially independent but relies on the police budget for operations. It said this arrangement undermines the autonomy and effectiveness of the commission in holding the police accountable.
“How can the government expect PSC with a former policeman as head and also a body that can’t exist financially without drawing votes from the same police that it is set up to monitor to be efficient and impartial? This is primed for failure. The government must rescue the PSC from self-imposed inertia and dysfunctionality if we are seeking fundamental reforms and restructuring of the near-moribund and highly undisciplined police full of criminals and wayward operatives who can’t be controlled efficiently,” HURIWA said.
The group called for personnel audits of the police and equipment audits of the federal police. It also insisted on the setting up of state police with loose and independent operational control by a body to be set up at the national level, with both the President and the National Assembly exercising appointing powers.
It said oversight authorities must reside in an independent body of monitors made up of law enforcement, legal, and civil rights practitioners who should draw their funding from first-line charges.
HURIWA urged the Rivers State Police Command to ensure that a thorough investigation into the allegations made by @thekaypersona is carried out and that those found culpable are brought to justice. It also advised Nigerians to continue to document and report cases of police brutality and human rights abuse to relevant authorities and organisations.
The group also commended @thekaypersona for his courage and willingness to engage with the police and his assistance in ensuring transparency and accountability. It said his video has raised public awareness about the plight of many Nigerians who suffer similar or worse treatment from police officers.
HURIWA called on all Nigerians to join hands in demanding an end to police brutality and impunity in Nigeria. It said it will continue to monitor the situation and provide support to victims of human rights violations.
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