COMMUNIQUE ISSUED AT THE END OF 2008 POLICE SERVICE COMMISSION RETREAT ON:
UNDERSTANDING THE MANDATE  AND  OPERATIONS   OF   THE  POLICE   SERVICE COMMISSION IN THE CONTEXT OF THE RULE OF LAW
HELD FROM 18TH-20TH AUGUST, 2008 AT MICCOM GOLF HOTELS AND RESORT, IBQKUN ROAD, ADA, OSUN STATE

The Police Service Commission organised a three day retreat on the theme "Understanding the Mandate and Operations of the Police Service Commission in the Context of the Rule of Law" from 18th-20th August, 2008 at Ada, Osun State. The retreat was organised to provide an avenue for the Police Service Commission and the Police hierarchy to learn, understand, reflect and proffer solutions to the challenges of policing in a democratic society in the context of the rule of law.
The retreat was declared open by the Executive Governor of Osun State, His Excellency, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, who also delivered the keynote address. The retreat was attended by the Honourable Minister of Interior, Maj. Gen. Godwin Abbe (Rtd), the Chairman, Police Service Commission, Mr. Parry Osayande DIG (Rtd), the Inspector General of Police, Sir (Dr.) Mike Okiro, Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Mrs. Farida Waziri, AIG (Rtd), the representative of Independence Corruption Practices Commission (ICPC) Chairman, Members and Staff of the Police Service Commission, Deputy Inspectors General of Police,  Assistant Inspectors  General  of Police,  Commissioners   of Police  and resource persons including Mr. Fidelis Oyakhilome DIG (Rtd), Professor E. O. Alemika, Professor of Criminology, University of Jos  and Dr. Reuben Abati, Chairman, Editorial Board of the Guardian Newspapers.

Several papers were presented during the retreat including:
1. The Law as a Guide in the performance of Police duties
2. The Law as a safeguard for the Oversight Functions of the Police Service Commission
3. Combating Corruption in the Nigeria Police
4. The Rule of Law and the Challenges of Law Enforcement
5. Strategies for Improved Welfare and Training in the Nigeria Police
6. Implementing the  Mandate  of the Police  Service  Commission for Appointment, Promotion and Discipline
7. Factors Inhibiting Police Performance in Nigeria
8. Strategies for Re-organisation and Re- orientation of the Nigeria Police
9. The Role of the Media in Enhancing the Efficiency of the Nigeria Police and
10. Strategies for Effective Oversight and Police Accountability in Nigeria.

OBSERVATION
Following the presentations, debates and discussions, the retreat observes as follows:
1. Peace and Security of life and property are the primary conditions for progress and development of any society.
2.  All over the world, the principal agency charged with the responsibility of internal peace and security of nations is the Police.
3. The powers and duties of the Police are very clear and provided for in the Constitution and relevant laws. They include among other things the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property, the due enforcement of all laws and regulations with which they are directly charged and military duties within or outside Nigeria as may be required of them.
4. The Police has enormous powers and the exercise of these powers haveimpact on the quality of life and rights of citizens. There is therefore the need for regulation of police actions, policies and organisaion.
5. The enforcement of the laws of the country must be balanced with the protection of individual rights and freedom.
6. The exercise of Police powers and discharge of its duties must be carried out within the context of the rule of law.  This involves a recognition of the supremacy of the law over any form of arbitrary power or discretion; equality before the law and respect for human rights.
7. It is in the interest of the Police as an institution to operate within the parameters of the rule of law. This is because it will increase the confidence and support of the public and ultimately lead to improved peace and security.
8. Corruption has eaten deep into the fabric of the Nigerian society including the Police but the situation can be remedied with disciplined and forthright leadership and a citizenry that is united in its resentment of corruption.
9. The quality of welfare and training given to the Police personnel has significant impact on their operational efficiency and behavioural integrity.
10. The factors that inhibit Police performance include among other things external
factors (military intervention, poor funding and creation of parallel security organisations) and internal factors (inapprioprate deployment, non-observance of rule of law, organised corruption, in­fighting, indiscipline and poor training). 
11. The Police is committed to its mission of creating a safer and more secured environment, conducive for meaningful socio-economic development of Nigeria. 
12. The Police authorities are committed to re-organisation and re-orientation of the
Police including structural re-organisation, internal transparency and accountability, effective public relations, respect for human rights, training and re-training, housing and other related packages and the use of sporting activities such as "Race against Crime".
13. Nigerian Police Officers seem to perform so well when they take part in international assignments but are usually criticised for poor performance at home.
14. There is urgency of the need to speed up the process of Police reform in Nigeria to strengthen its capacity, deepen the democratic process and make it more accountable.
15. The Police Service Commission is responsible for appointing and promoting all officers of the Nigeria Police Force (other than the IGP), dismissing and exercising disciplinary control over the same officers, formulating policies and guidelines for its work, identifying factors inhibiting and undermining discipline within the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and formulating and implementing policies aimed at efficiency and discipline within the force among other functions.
16. Civilian oversight of the Police is necessary in calling the Police to account for their actions, policies and organisation.
17. Although there are institutions meant to enhance oversight and police accountability
in Nigeria, they are weak, ineffective and unco­ordinated.
18. Although there are those who support and oppose civilian oversight of policing,  it
has  been recognised  all over the  world that civilian oversight is a necessity for effective policing.
19.The retreat notes the efforts of the present Governments  aimed at reforming  the 
Police  and the  establishment of the  M.  D.  Yusuf Presidential Committee on Police Reforms.

RESOLUTIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS 
At the end of the retreat, the participants resolved as follows:
1. The Nigeria Police and organisations with responsibility with Police accountability should forge partnership with anti-corruption bodies with a view to co-operating on corruption   preventive measures and enforcement of anti-corruption laws within the Police Force.
2.  Training in the Nigeria Police Force should take into cognisance the need of the Force in specific tasks and expertise, the skill and interest of Officers, the need to match skills acquired in  the course with deployment thereafter and the requisite infrastructure, facilities and supplies for effective use of skills acquired by officers during the training for the purpose of efficiency in the  Force and career development of the personnel.
3. The Nigeria Police Force should conduct a Training Needs Analysis (TNA), formulate a training policy and design and implement training programmes with a reviewed curriculum.
4. The Government and Police authorities should provide a good working  environment for the performance of Police duties. Adequate working tools and facilities, working space and
adequate remuneration should be provided to Police Officers.
5. The Leadership and members of the Police force should be insulated from partisan political control.
6. The Government should provide adequate funds for the logistic and other requirements of the Police.
7. The Force Order governing the use and deployment of police orderly should be strongly adhered to. The Inspector General of Police should set up a Special Protective Security Unit for Very Important Persons (VIPs) who are entitled to them in line with Force order 281  and presidential directive on the matter.
8. Community Policing should be revived through collaboration with village heads, traditional rulers, at wards, local governments, states and federal government levels.
9.  Police Officers should commit themselves to professionalism, supervision, respect for rule of law, decentralisation, re-organisation and re-orientaion.
10. There is the need for the reform of other criminal justice administraion agencies such as the judiciary and prisons for effective policing.
11. The Police authorities will strengthen its Police Public Relations Office to effectively manage information dissemination.
12. The retreat calls for strengthening of the institutions for oversight in terms of human resources, capacity building and funding; clarification and understanding of roles of the various institutions and agencies; formulation of strategies for each of the agencies; translation of the strategies into costed workplans, programmes and projects; creation of a Forum for all the agencies to share and learn and institution of a monitoring and  evaluation   framework with  milestones  to monitor progress.
13. The Police Service Commission should adequately publicise its activities and reactivate the public complaints unit.
14. Police Service Commission should develop    a roadmap for effective oversight over the Nigeria Police Force and re-position the commission to carry out its mandate.
15. The Police Service Commission should always uphold the rule of law, follow due process, justice, equity in all its dealings and deliberations.
16. The Police Service Commission should protect the integrity and merit of the Nigeria Police Force by ensuring that appointments and promotions are based on seniority, merit, and equity, and that appointments, promotions and disciplinary processes are clearly defined, fair and transparent.
17. The Police Service Commission should be functional at all times to prevent a situation where the Inspector General of Police will take arbitrary actions.
18. The  retreat  calls  on  Government to  release the  white paper  and commence implementation of the report of M. D. Yusuf Presidential Committee on Police reforms.
The Retreat appreciates  the people  and Government  of Osun State  for their hospitality and support in hosting the retreat. 

Mr  Parry B. O.  OSAYANDE DIG (Rtd) CFR, OFR, HPM, mni Honourable Chairman