YES WE CAN: NIGERIA POLICE FORCE LAUNCHES A NEW “CODE OF CONDUCT AND PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS FOR OFFICERS OF THE NIGERIA POLICE FORCE”

Police I.G. Mohammed Abubakar

This is a first hand press release i got from the Force public Relations Officer, CSP Frank Mba. 

"All is now set for the official launch, by the Nigeria Police High

Command of the special ‘Code of Conduct and Professional Standards for officers of the Nigeria Police Force’, scheduled to take place on the 10^th day of January, 2013 at International Conference Centre, Abuja.  The launch which will be personally performed by Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan GCFR, President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, will commence at 10:00am prompt. The launch of the “Code of Conduct” comes a day after the National Summit on Security.

The new “Code of Conduct” is a set of rules collated and formulated under the leadership of the current Inspector-General of Police, IGP MD Abubakar, for guiding and regulating the behaviours of Police officers in Nigeria – both while on or off duty.  The Code contains standard policing rules as well as contemporary international best practices in law enforcement as available in various United Nations Conventions, the Nigeria constitution, Police Act and Regulations and other domestic statutes. It is intended to be used by Police Officers in determining what is right and proper in all their actions.

The Code is designed to promote efficiency and effectiveness of Police services by promoting transparency, accountability and a deeper sense of civilian oversight on police activities.  It is further intended to promote discipline, professionalism and strict adherence to due process in police activities and operations. Its institution within the Force is therefore part of measures by the IGP to promote the Federal Government transformational agenda, through deliberate and conscious efforts at encouraging positive attitudinal change amongst all cadres of officers within the Force.

Thus, its launch is meant to generate the needed awareness among Government Officials, members of the Force and the general public; and to formally announce the enforcement of the “Code” both as a guide for all personnel of the Force, as well as an instrument for monitoring the conduct of individual Police officers in the daily performance of their duties, by the Police High Command and the public.

It is the earnest belief of the IGP that the “Code” will improve the standards and outputs of the Force and make it an enviable Law Enforcement Organization that will best serve the interest of Nigerians.

The IGP once again solicits the cooperation and understanding of the public at ensuring the successful implementation of the “Code” as it marks another mile stone in current efforts at repositioning the Force.  He believes that getting it right with the Code, will no doubt, amount to getting it right with the Force; and this will in turn translate to getting it right with the overall security of Nigeria and her teeming citizens.

Dignitaries expected at the event include: the leadership of the National Assembly, Federal Ministers, Executive Governors from the 36 States of the Federation, Service Chiefs, Senior Government Officials, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Senior Police Officers, etc.