The Commissioner of Police in Ogun State, Bode Ojajuni, has said persons with disabilities are full Nigerian citizens and must never be treated as lesser members of society. According to Daily Post Nigeria, he spoke on Tuesday at the Command Headquarters in Eleweran, Abeokuta.
Delegation visits the Command
The commissioner was receiving the leadership of the Ogun State chapter of the Joint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWD). The team was led by its State Chairman, Mr Awobona Ayodele, and included executive members and the heads of the different disability clusters.
Ayodele described JONAPWD as the umbrella body for persons with disabilities in Nigeria. He said it was set up in 1992 to speak for them, represent them and promote their rights, welfare and inclusion in society across the country.
The chairman pointed to the particular vulnerabilities persons with disabilities face. He called for a strategic partnership with the Command, especially on disability management and targeted sensitisation programmes for police personnel. He also stressed that officers need training on how to recognise and engage properly with people living with disabilities, and he pledged the association's support and continued cooperation with the police.
What the CP promised
In response, Ojajuni praised the delegation for its commitment to self-advocacy and civic engagement. He said a disability does not reduce or take away any person's constitutional rights. He added that the Command is guided by the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and by international best practice in enforcing human rights.
To turn the commitment into action, the commissioner assured the visitors that the Command would run continuous sensitisation and retraining programmes for officers. The aim, according to the report, is to improve their capacity, empathy and professional conduct when dealing with and serving persons with disabilities.
Ojajuni also pledged the Command's backing for JONAPWD and said the police would keep protecting the rights, security and welfare of persons with disabilities across Ogun State. No timeline or details of the planned training were given in the report.
