IGP Disu receives Femi Falana, other civil society delegates

By Kingsley Omonobi

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Disu, on Thursday received a delegation of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) led by human rights lawyer, Femi Falana SAN, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Anthony Placid, said that the delegation comprised prominent figures from the legal, human rights, governance, and security reform sectors.

Notable members included Mr. Femi Falana, SAN; Mr. Adesina Oke, Esq. of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers (NADL); Barr. Okeke Chinwike of the African Law Foundation (AFRILAW); Mr. Barbara Magaji of Amnesty International; Mr. Anietie Ewang of Human Rights Watch (HRW); and Mr. Samson Itodo, Executive Director of Yiaga Africa.

Others include Mr. Bathsheba Taglia of CISLAC/Transparency International Nigeria; Mrs. Kemi Okenyodo, Executive Director of Partners West Africa-Nigeria (PWAN); and Dr. Itia Otabor of the African Centre for Leadership, Strategy & Development (Centre LSD).

In his remarks, Femi Falana SAN congratulated IGP Disu on his appointment and commended his vision of policing as a mission rooted in the protection of human rights.

He urged “strict compliance with the Nigeria Police Act 2020, particularly provisions on family notification upon arrest, suspects’ rights to legal representation, and the prohibition of arrests for civil wrongs.

Falana further called for “stronger accountability measures to ensure officers respect constitutional guarantees and are held liable in cases of misconduct”.

Responding, IGP Olatunji Disu expressed deep appreciation for the engagement of civil society and reaffirmed his commitment to people-centred policing.

He emphasised that effective policing must address both major crimes and the everyday concerns of citizens.

The IGP assured the delegation of ongoing reforms, including updated training manuals, improved officer welfare, and strict directives against interference in civil matters.

The IGP pledged transparency, accountability and commitment to improving the Complaint Response Unit and Monitoring Unit.

The Inspector-General expressed confidence that effective policing is attainable and reaffirmed that the Nigeria Police Force remains steadfast in prioritising accountability, transparency, and the protection of human rights across all its operations.