The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and MacArthur Foundation have trained police officers and lawyers on the implementation of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015.

Tobenna Erojikwe, chairman of NBA Institute of Continuing Legal Education, said at the training on Monday in Warri, that the police were critical stakeholders in the implementation of the act.

He said the training aimed at educating police officers on the need to comply with the principles of human rights in law enforcement in the South-South region.

Mr Erojikwe urged the participants to focus on section 17 of the act. According to him, section 17 makes the collection of particulars of suspects mandatory. He, however, urged the participants to share the experience gained during the training with their colleagues.

In his paper presentation, Idris Bawa, adviser of the Police Programme, GIZ Africa-Nigeria, said there was the need for the procurement of recording gadgets for obtaining statements from suspects as provided for in the act.

“There is need for coordination amongst all the judicial actors in the implementation of the Criminal Justice Act,” the GIZ Africa-Nigeria official said.

Also, Benard Onigah, secretary of NBA’s National Human Rights Committee, NBA, in his presentation, called for collaboration between the police and lawyers to achieve the same objective in justice delivery.

Saka Azimazi, former deputy director of legal and investigation, National Human Rights Commission, in his presentation stressed the need for collaboration between lawyers and police in the implication of the act.

(NAN)