The Role of the Nigerian Police and the protection of citizens’ right to life and human dignity

Abstract

Government has responsibility to protect lives, liberties and properties of its citizens, and the exercise of power by government must be conditioned by that purpose. The police is, inherently, the most visible symbol of any government's power and authority and the primary enforcer of its laws; an institution of social control in the hands of those who are managers of the State. The issue of human rights has received global attention. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) 1948, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), 1966 and the other human rights instruments set the standard and norms for State Parties to observe when protecting and promoting human rights in their territories. The African Union (AU) on its part sets up mechanisms to protect human rights. The Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (CFRN), 1999 also guarantees fundamental human rights such as the rights to life and dignity in its provisions. However, these important human rights are often violated by the Nigerian Police and this paper shall seek to examine these issues among others