Commissioner Pledges Continuous Sensitisation, Retraining of Police Officers on Disability Inclusion
The Ogun State Commissioner of Police, CP Bode Ojajuni, has reaffirmed the rights and dignity of persons with disabilities, declaring that they are full and equal Nigerian citizens who must never be treated as second-class citizens.
Ojajuni made this declaration on Tuesday while receiving the leadership of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD), Ogun State Chapter, during a courtesy visit to the Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
The delegation was led by the State Chairman of JONAPWD, Mr Awobona Ayodele, alongside members of the state executive and representatives of various disability clusters.
Speaking during the visit, Ayodele described JONAPWD as the umbrella organisation representing persons with disabilities in Nigeria. Established in 1992, the association is committed to advocating for the rights, welfare, representation and social inclusion of persons with disabilities across the country.
He drew attention to the unique challenges and vulnerabilities faced by persons with disabilities, stressing the importance of building a strategic partnership between the association and the Police Command to strengthen disability-inclusive policing.
Specifically, he called for specialised sensitisation and capacity-building programmes to equip police officers with the knowledge and skills required to identify, communicate with and appropriately attend to persons with different disabilities.
Ayodele also reaffirmed the association’s readiness to support the Command through sustained collaboration, expertise and engagement to promote the safety and rights of persons with disabilities.
Responding, CP Ojajuni commended the delegation for its commitment to self-advocacy, civic participation and the promotion of disability rights.
He emphasised that having a disability does not diminish an individual’s citizenship or take away their constitutionally guaranteed rights. He further noted that the Nigeria Police Force remains guided by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended, and international best practices in human rights protection and enforcement.
In a significant commitment to disability inclusion, the Commissioner assured JONAPWD that the Command would organise continuous sensitisation and retraining programmes for police personnel to strengthen their understanding of disability issues, improve professional conduct and promote empathy in their interactions with persons with disabilities.
He further pledged the Command’s support for JONAPWD, assuring the delegation that the Police would continue to protect the rights, security and well-being of persons with disabilities throughout Ogun State.
The engagement represents an important opportunity to strengthen cooperation between the disability community and law enforcement authorities, particularly in addressing discrimination, improving access to justice and ensuring that persons with disabilities can approach and receive services from the Police with dignity and without barriers.
Beyond the assurances, the real measure of this commitment will be its implementation: ensuring that every police officer understands disability inclusion, every police station is accessible, and every person with a disability receives equal protection under the law.
