The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) have completed the training of no fewer than 196 police officers in Cross River on the protection and promotion of human rights.
Project Officer of UNODC, Mrs Ukamaka Osigwe, said that the training workshop was organised to offer police personnel with the necessary skills, knowledge and attitudes to effectively discharge their duties in accordance with the rule of law.
Osigwe said that the training would increase access to justice and respect for human rights and the rule of law, especially for disadvantaged and vulnerable members of the society.
She added that the training was done in compliance with human rights best practices, hence the need for police personnel to relate peacefully with the citizens.
“The UNODC hopes that this training which has impacted so much on police personnel would better create a link of peaceful co-existence and respect for the human rights,’’ she said.
The  Coordinator, Nigeria Police Human Rights Training Project, Dr  Uju Agomoh, said that if the police respected and promoted the human rights of citizens, Nigeria would be rated high as a country that respected the rule of law.
Agomoh, who is also the Executive Director of Prisoners Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), said that the training would help to reduce complaints by citizens about their human rights violation.
“This training was designed to train police officers that would head human rights desk in their various commands.
“A total of 196 police officers were trained on human rights protection between July 18 and 23.
“ The training is timely because Nigeria needs to reckon with other countries in the protection and promotion of human rights,’’ she said.
She urged police officers to bring their training to bear in the discharge of their duties.