Protect Nigerians, Stop Getting Involved In 'Political Disputations' - Falana To Police

A human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has called on the Inspector-General of Police to check the activities of police officers who harass civilians.

Falana said in a statement that the job of the police "is the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the country.”

He noted cases where the police acted out of legal bounds, citing the case of 70-year-old Lawal Abdullahi who was picked up by the police for organising a "peaceful protest" that was seen as "insulting" to the president.

Falana said, “To prevent him from being sent to jail we had to pay the fine.

“A fortnight ago, the police arrested Nastura Ashir Sharif, leader of the coalition of northern groups, (CNG), for organising a peaceful protest against insecurity in Katsina State.

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“The protest was alleged to have embarrassed the President. Consequently, Sharf was brought to Abuja where he was interrogated by the police even though he did not commit any criminal offence known to law.

“However, the police had to release the youth leader from illegal custody when it was reported that President Buhari had scolded the nation’s service chiefs for the worsening state of insecurity in the country.

“While we do not endorse political prostitution on the part of members of the political class those who decamp from other political parties to the ruling party are not subjected to any form of harassment or intimidation by the police,” he said.

“Therefore, the discriminatory treatment meted out to politicians in the opposition camp by the police cannot be justified under the current political dispensation."

He added that “the primary duty; indeed the most fundamental duty of the Nigeria police force is the maintenance and securing of public safety and public order within the country”.

He also urged the Inspector General to “restrain the police from getting involved in political disputations among the various factions of the members of the political class” and to ”respect the fundamental rights of the Nigerian people to demonstrate against official policies that are considered inimical to the interests of the nation.”