The Plateau Administration of Criminal Justice Law (ACJL) Implementation Support Group has trained 33 security personnel from the Nigerian Police Force and the Nigerian Correctional Service on rights-based approaches to ACJL.
The training which took place on Friday in Jos exposed the personnel to arrest procedures in a bid to improve professionalism.
The report states that the support group was established by the CLEEN Foundation, a non-governmental organisation.
The group’s responsibility is to help in monitoring the effective implementation of the ACJL in Plateau.
Mr Stephen Katoh, Chairman of the ACJL Monitoring Committee in Plateau, urged the participants to utilise the training to deepen their understanding of the ACJL.
Katoh called on them to cascade the knowledge gained to their colleagues in their respective offices.
The chairman stated that the initiative was designed to address persistent gaps in how law enforcement officers carried out their duties, particularly in relation to citizens’ rights.
According to him, the one-day training would reintroduce officers to the fundamental purpose of policing and law enforcement.
He added that during the training participants would also be trained on proper procedures for issuing summons, handling complaints, and making arrests.
Katoh stressed that the officers must not act solely on the demands of complainants but should instead assess cases critically and act based on legal provisions.
The chairman further emphasised that arrest and detention must comply strictly with the law, noting that suspects should not be detained unnecessarily or beyond stipulated timeframes.
The report state that Mr Yilji Nenfwang delivered a keynote address on understanding the administration of criminal justice law of Plateau and the provisions on arrest procedures.