Oluyemi Ibiloye, commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Ondo State, has tasked security officers with respecting human rights and shunning intimidation at the point of arrest.

Mr Ibiloye stated this on Monday in Akure at the capacity-building workshop for law enforcement agencies on law enforcement and respect for human dignity.

The workshop, with the theme “Building A Culture Of Rights And Responsibility”, was organised by NSCDC in conjunction with the Justice Development and Peace Centre (JDPC), Akure, and Kimpact Development Initiative.

The NSCDC commandant, who said that the training was organised to reduce the rate of human rights violations by personnel, said any officer caught would be dealt with.

“Remember that there are laws, international  human rights laws, local human rights laws and others that guide the conduct of security agencies while performing their mandate.

“Over time, there were complaints of human rights abuse when suspects were being arrested or treated before being taken to court. It has become imperative for security personnel to ensure that the rights of suspects are protected while being taken into custody.

“Officers and men have been accused of infringement on people’s rights; though the complaints have reduced over time, we want to bring it down further. So, we need to obey the human rights laws and shun any form of intimidation whenever you are to perform your duties as security officers,” he said.

Also, Wilfred Afolabi, commissioner of police in the state, applauded NSCDC for the initiative and said the training would enable the security personnel to refrain from, or fall victim to human rights violations.

“Training and retraining of personnel is essential, especially when we are talking about human rights and we must see that our personnel have respect for it,” Mr Afolabi said.

In his remarks, Samuel Ibitoye, FRSC state sector commander, charged the personnel “to protect and not to kill whenever they are enforcing laws”.

“You are to protect, not to violate the laws. And we must exercise caution whenever we are to arrest and not to violate a person’s human rights,” he said.

Similarly, Kayode Ajulo, attorney general and commissioner of justice, who commended the NSCDC and other security agencies for upholding law and order in the state, charged them to work for integrity.

According to him, security agencies should know that whatever they are doing, what matters most, even in respect of emergencies, is the fundamental human rights of people must be brought to premium.

“For us to have a great state and country, professionalism, the code of conduct, the standard of practising and engagement must be followed.

“The constitution stipulates that there is a right to life, dignity of person, personal liberty, and freedom from discrimination, but these rights are not suspended at checkpoints, during emergencies or interrogation.

“So, whether you are at a checkpoint or other places, that right must be protected.

“Respect for human rights is not a hindrance to the security issues, but it is the highest form of professionalism and integrity, which is crucial,” he said.

Meanwhile, Bukola Idowu, executive director of Kimpact Development Initiative and a guest speaker, said the partnership was to ensure that the architecture and performance of the security agencies in the state were “a force to reckon with”.

“Our aim is to integrate human rights principles into the operations of the security agencies across the state,” he said.

The personnel of Immigration Services, FRSC, NDLEA, police, Nigeria Correctional Services, NAPTIP, ICPC, Amotekun and others were among the trainees.

(NAN)