Police Act 2020: Journalists Asked To Drive Public Awareness On Reforms

Journalists in Kano State have been urged to intensify public sensitisation on the provisions and innovations in Police Act 2020 to deepen accountability, strengthen human rights protection and promote improved policing in Nigeria.

The call was made at a one-day media workshop organised by the Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative also known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), with support from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

At the event, the acting programme manager of PWAN, Aisha Isa Yusuf, said the training was aimed at equipping media practitioners across traditional and new media platforms with adequate knowledge of the Police Act 2020 and its reforms.

Yusuf described journalists as the mouthpiece of the masses and a critical bridge between law enforcement agencies, government institutions and the public, stressing that strengthening that link would enhance collaboration and accountability in society.

She said the Act introduced far-reaching reforms to address human rights abuses and promote the dignity of suspects and citizens.

Among the innovations, she cited the prohibition on arrest in lieu, noting that police are no longer permitted to arrest relatives, such as wives or family members, in place of suspects.

She also stated that the new law discourages police involvement in civil and contractual disputes and affirms women’s right to bail once legal requirements are met.

“The media is the bridge between victimised citizens and the security apparatus. You are our voices,” she told participants.

Yusuf urged journalists to monitor police conduct at the grassroots, expose misconduct, verify facts through thorough investigative reporting, and sustain public interest in cases by following them until court verdicts are delivered.

In his presentation, facilitator Odoh Okenyodo encouraged participants to embrace developmental reporting and solutions journalism, urging them to highlight reforms that work while identifying gaps that require urgent attention.

Another facilitator, Aro Leonard, described journalists as having superpowers capable of shaping public accountability and influencing policy reforms through responsible and consistent reporting.