Human rights activist, Femi Falana has asked the court to direct the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, to assign at least one police officer who is a legal practitioner to every station in the country.
Such legal practitioners, according to him, will monitor human rights compliance in the police stations.
Falana’s position is contained in a suit he instituted at the Federal High Court, Lagos, in which he prayed the court to determine whether the IGP is required to obey section 66(3) of the Nigerian Police (Establishment) Act, 2020 which states:
“There shall be assigned to every police division at least one police officer: (a) who is qualified to practice as legal practitioner in accordance with the Legal Practitioners Act; (b) whose responsibility is to promote human rights compliance by officers of the division.”
The defendants in the suit are the IGP and the Police Service Commission (PSC).
Falana asked the court to determine:
“Whether the defendants are not under a legal obligation to assign a police officer who is a legal practitioner to every police station in Nigeria to monitor human rights compliance?” the document reads.
“A declaration that by virtue of Section 66(3) of the Nigerian Police (Establishment) Act, 2020, the Defendants are required to assign at least one police officer who is a legal practitioner to every police station to monitor human rights compliance.
“An order directing the Defendants to assign at least a police officer who is a legal practitioner to every station in Nigeria to monitor human rights compliance forthwith.”