22 CSOs seek urgent gazetting of revised Police Regulations, saying it will ensure accountability
By Ishaya Ibrahim
At least 22 civil society organisations have demanded for the gazetting of the revised Nigeria Police Regulations, the day-to-day operational rules guiding the Nigeria Police Force.
A statement signed by the CSOs including; Global Rights, RULAAC, NOPRIN, and 19 others queried why five years after the enactment of the Nigeria Police Act 2020, the revised Police Regulations have yet to be gazetted.
According to the CSOs, the delay in gazetting the Police Regulations undermines the effectiveness of the reforms introduced in the Police Act and perpetuates outdated, colonial-era operational rules that no longer align with Nigeria’s democratic aspirations or international human rights commitments.
The CSOs say without the updated and gazetted Regulations, the Rule of Law will continually be undermined because officers operate under vague, outdated rules open to arbitrary interpretation.
They also say the outdated regulation weakens accountability, as oversight bodies including the Police Service Commission (PSC), the Ministry of Police Affairs, and civil society cannot effectively monitor compliance.
According to the CSOs, democracy and elections will continue to be endangered since police play a central role in election security, and a lack of clear, modern rules creates room for abuse and inconsistent policing during campaigns, voting, and results collation.
They say outdated rules block progress on rights-based policing, gender sensitivity, technology-driven policing, and responses to emerging threats like cybercrime and terrorism.
The CSOs, added: “Events such as the #EndSARS protests highlighted Nigerians’ demand for a modern, transparent, and accountable police force. Reforms that remain only on paper cannot restore public trust. Without enforceable operational standards, the gap between citizens and law enforcement will continue to widen, fuelling mistrust, insecurity, and cycles of violence.
“Nigeria is bound by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials, and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG 16) on peace, justice, and strong institutions. Failure to operationalise the Police Act through gazetted Regulations contradicts these obligations and erodes Nigeria’s credibility internationally.
“We therefore call on the Presidency, the Ministry of Police Affairs, and the Police Service Commission (PSC) to:
“1. Immediately finalise and gazette the revised Police Regulations in line with the Police Act 2020.
“2. Ensure public accessibility of the gazetted Regulations — in print, online, and simplified formats that citizens can understand and use.
“3. Institutionalise periodic reviews every 3–5 years to keep the Regulations relevant to modern policing and security challenges.
“4. Train all police officers on the new Regulations with emphasis on rights-based policing, gender inclusion, and community engagement.
“5. Strengthen oversight by aligning PSC, Police Trust Fund, and civil society monitoring tools with the new Regulations.
“Gazetting the revised Police Regulations is not a bureaucratic afterthought. It is a constitutional duty, a democratic necessity, and a security imperative. Without it, the Police Act 2020 will remain largely unimplemented, public trust in the Nigeria Police Force will continue to decline, and Nigeria’s commitment to accountable governance will be in question.”
