PWAN, FCDO train Kano journalists on police act, responsible reporting
Kola Oyelere Kano
Media practitioners in Kano have received specialized training on the Police Act and responsible reporting as part of efforts to strengthen police reform and accountability coverage in Nigeria.
The one-day workshop was organized 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).
It brought together reporters, editors, presenters and producers from print, broadcast and digital media platforms.
Speaking during a session titled “What is Police Reform: Overview of the Police Act and the Role of Media and Citizens in Ensuring a Robust Reform Framework,”
PWAN Programme Manager, Aisha Isa Yusuf, gave participants a detailed breakdown of the Police Act 2020 and its implications for policing and public accountability.
Yusuf explained that under Section 31 of the Act, police are empowered to investigate reported offences or suspects brought before them and forward their findings to the Attorney-General of the Federation or relevant state authorities.
She stressed that arrests must be based on legal grounds and occur only when an offence is committed in an officer’s presence or when there is a lawful basis.
She further clarified that the law prohibits police involvement in civil matters such as landlord-tenant disputes, contractual disagreements, divorce cases or debt recovery, citing Sections 31 and 32.
Highlighting safeguards in the law, Yusuf noted that Sections 35 to 37 require police to notify a suspect’s next of kin at no cost, forbid the arrest of relatives in place of suspects, and prohibit torture as well as degrading or inhuman treatment.
Other sessions at the workshop were facilitated by Mr. Odoh Okenyodo and Mr. Aron Leonardo under the theme “Reviewing Understanding Within Development Reporting and Solutions Journalism.”
The facilitators examined differences between developmental reporting and solutions journalism and demonstrated how artificial intelligence tools can support more effective news writing.
Participants also took part in practical exercises during a session tagged “Humanizing the Police and Policing,” where they developed story and programme ideas focused on police reform, human rights and police welfare.
Additional discussions covered ethical reporting practices, the use of language that supports reform rather than incites public anger, mainstreaming the Police Act in news coverage, stop-and-search and arrest procedures, profiling, and strategies for promoting local accountability.
Some participants, including Longtong Ibrahim Yakubu of Leadership Newspaper, Zainab Maiagogo of Kakaki24, Abdulmajid Habibu Isah of Times Express, and Salisu Baffayo of Freedom Radio, described the workshop as timely and impactful.
They pledged to share the knowledge gained with colleagues to improve professional reporting on police reform and justice sector issues.