The Inspector General of Police, IGP Olukayode Egbetokun has commended ACP Dashuwar T. Abuja for documenting his experience in the Nigeria Police Force which is going to benefit posterity, stressing that it is important to document ideas, thoughts and the Nigeria Police force would continue to encourage its officers to publish books so as to promote reading culture.
IGP Egbetokun, who was represented by CP Dima Reuben Abibo, a fellow of the Security Institute said this at the book launch titled "Police And Administration Of Criminal Justice In Nigeria (Contemporary Evaluation)" authored by ACP Dashuwar T. Abuja LL.B, LL.M and Ph.D in Law, currently the Commanding Officer Squadron 25 Police Mobile Force, Azumini/Iwukem, Force Headquarters Annex, Abuja.
He said that the police was encouraging the officers to write books both for science, law, Security and other areas of endeavours .
The IGP Egbetokun who was the Chief host at the book launch emphasised on the importance of documentation and book writing in the Nigeria Police force.
"It was observed sometimes back what's it called the coming of colonialists to relate with us in our policy system. Before the advent of the coloniaslist, the author of the book made observation about policing systems in this part of the world and that's Sub-Sahara Africa. As we all know in the historical Balance sometimes from the fathers of history like innovators he said civilization, western civilization and probably history policing started from the East and ended in the West, regarding Africa and Sub-Saharan Africa, there is nothing to write home about.
"One of the reasons for these is that there was no documentation, in otherwords there was no writing. If there were no writing there will be no evidence that we have some civilization, cultural or whatever. If socracy is not documented by great philosophers, like Plato's dialogues are among the most comprehensive accounts of Socrates to survive from antiquity. They demonstrate the Socratic approach to areas of philosophy including epistemology and ethics. Therefore, if the socrates didn't document anything, there would be no socracy. " he said
The minister of Labour and Employment, Simon Bako Lalong in his remarks eulogies the author for writing a book on Criminal Justice, describing him as an a hardworking police officer and his level of intelligence is exceptional. He proposed to the author to write another book on politics, police perspective.
While unveiling the book, the Chief Launcher, Chief Engr. Emeka Okwuosa any represented congratulated the author for publishing the book at this critical period of seeking reforms in Nigeria judicial system.
He said, the book also talked about the role of the Nigeria police in the administration of criminal justice and he described the Nigeria police as a gateway in this version of criminal justice reason being that he start from all the pre-steps to trial. So he talked about the arrest, the search and then taking of conventional statements which is the call duties of the Nigeria police.
He congratulated the author and also recommended the book for the reading pleasure of the public, the book has been well written in simple English. To serve the need of Security researchers and activists.
Earlier in his remarks, AIG Yekini A Ayoku from Police Mobile Force, FHQ Abuja, ably Represented by CSP M. A Guri said the book launching is coming at a very critical time when the law enforcement agencies, especially the police officers, are faced with the ordeals of administration of criminal justice in Nigeria.
This must not wail them down, rather must they must stand firm and rise up to the challenge while arresting all offenders, proper investigation of cases before them, and adequate filing or evidences as case maybe in order to ensure dispensation of criminal justice in Nigeria.
"This book will contribute to the existing body of knowledge and reposition the police for provisional excellence in the administration of criminal justice.
He enjoined Nigerians to help the police, to police you better and ensure speedy and adequate dispensation of criminal justice in Nigeria as only the police and other stakeholders cannot execute our administration of criminal justice without help of the society.
One of the book reviewer, Professor Alphonsus Okoh Alubo, SAN who reviewed the book titled“ Police And Administration Of Criminal Justice In Nigeria commended the author for a job well done. Alubo called on anyone who wished to know the criminal justice administration in police, values and life time of police personnel to carefully read all the 10 Chapters of 280 pages of the book.
He said, "it is axiomatic that the police play a significant role in the society. Its role in criminal justice administration is even more poignant, from arrest to sentence of convicted persons. This is even against the backdrop of public frustration and disappointment with the criminal justice delivery system.
"It is a truism that the police is not the only criminal justice administration organ in Nigeria however, given the centrality of the police under the Constitution, invariably, Nigerians expected and expect more from the police in the area of criminal justice administration. Thus, the need to critically examine the role of the police in criminal justice administration in Nigeria becomes imperative. In this regard, the conceptual foundation, the historical development and the concepts of crime are discussed.
Other issues examined by the author include crime and civil wrong, investigation, detection, warrant, bail, confession, identification, parade, prosecution, rule of law, human rights, polices, etc. The structure of the Nigeria Police Force is also looked at: administrative structure, office of the Force Secretary, Nigeria Police Council, Police Service Commission, Police Mobile Force, Nigeria Police Elite.
Also, exhilarating are the author's positions current developments in the Nigeria Police Force, which include but not limited to the following: the seemingly unending jujitsu between the Office of the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission (PSC), the rivalry between the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and indeed other quasi security bodies and the Force Order 471, 2022, Guidance on the Implementation of the Police Specialized Service Automation Project (POSSAP).
The author made prescriptions on the above, by recommending constitutional amendment to permanently resolve the face-off between the Office of the Inspector General of Police and the Police Service Commission (rather than resort to the court); that the agencies performing Police roles such as the NSCDC, should be merged or integrated into the Police and be made arms of the Police, and that the commercialization of the Police services would be the final death nail on the coffin of several arms of the Police that have been self-sustaining.
Earlier, the author, ACP Dashuwar T. Abuja in his remarks said this book, substantially, a product of the his Ph.D thesis, years ago, at the prestigious Faculty of Law, University of Jos - Nigeria, and has been further appraised in the light of current developments and realities. Provisions of the ACJA and ACJLS of the states, the Police Act, 2020, have appropriately been used to elucidate the positions postulated by him.
Chapter seven engages the topic 'critical issues in criminal justice administration/constraints to criminal justice administration (power of the police/power to investigate crimes, power of arrest, power to grant bail. power of search and seizure, power to prevent break of peace, power to stop detain and inspect vehicle, general power of the police, power to institute criminal proceedings) and role of police under other legislations. The prosecution of case or absence of it in established courts in Nigeria is also discussed. Annexed to the work is a short overview of the Police Act, 2020. I have no doubt that various persons would find this work beneficial, including the Nigeria Police Force.
The Police have remained an inextricable and inseparable component of the administration of criminal justice. Arguably, it is the most or the next important organ of criminal administration, given the profundity of its role in arrest, search, investigation and even trial, by lay and Police legal practitioners.
This has been made more poignant after the enactment of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 and Administration of Criminal Justice Laws of different states, imprimatured by the Police Act, 2020.
ACP Dashuwar T. Abuja LL.B, LL.M and Ph.D in Law from the University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria. Dashuwar has attended over 11 Police training courses both within and outside Nigeria, including advanced training courses in various fields of policing.
He was ADC to the former Executive Governor of Plateau State, Chief Joshua C. Dariye, Directing Staff at the prestigious Police Staff College, Jos, Plateau State. The author was, amongst an array of other positions held in the Police Force, the Squadron Commander 11 Police Mobile Force, Calabar, 13 Police Mobile Force, Makurdi, CTU Commander Base 6 Damaturu, Base 7 Owerri and currently the Squadron Commander 25 Police Mobile Force, Azumini/Iwukem, Force Headquarters Annex, Abuja. In Course 19/1996, he was Best Graduating Cadet in character and knowledge.