The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has urged the Inspector-General of Police, Rilwan Disu, to establish a dedicated complaints line and order unannounced inspections of police stations nationwide to curb alleged bail extortion and other human rights abuses.
 
It also called on the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to investigate a song allegedly threatening an armed attack on Christians in Enugu State.
 
In separate statements yesterday and signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, the Association said the two issues required urgent action to protect citizens, strengthen accountability and prevent threats to public safety from escalating.
 
On alleged police misconduct, HURIWA said the police leadership must move beyond public assurances that bail is free and demonstrate its commitment to accountability through effective monitoring, accessible complaint channels and sanctions against erring officers.
 
The Association, however, expressed particular concern about the Tiger Base facility in Owerri, Imo State, which it said, required urgent scrutiny. It also cited concerns raised by civil society organisations, including the Amnesty International (AI), over police conduct and alleged human rights violations in the state.

HURIWA alleged that some police officers in Imo State demanded payment before accepting complaints or investigating reported crimes, placing additional burdens on victims seeking assistance. It said similar concerns had been raised in Anambra, Lagos, Kaduna and Rivers states.
 
The Association maintained that police stations must remain accessible to all citizens and must not become places where unofficial payments determine access to justice or personal liberty.
 
It alleged that some detainees and their relatives paid money under pressure, intimidation or threats of prolonged detention, while those unable to meet such demands risked remaining in custody.
 
HURIWA cautioned against treating everyone who paid for bail as a willing participant in corruption, urging authorities to distinguish between officers who allegedly solicit bribes and citizens coerced into paying. It called for investigations to focus on identifying and prosecuting officers responsible for misconduct rather than intimidating people who may have paid under duress.
 
The Association also urged the Police Service Commission and the police force internal disciplinary structures to strengthen disciplinary action against officers found culpable.

It said that existing police hotlines and published telephone numbers were often difficult to reach, leaving citizens with limited options for reporting misconduct and seeking redress. It also expressed concern about difficulties contacting police spokespersons and complaint-response officials in Imo State, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other commands.
 
According to HURIWA, a dedicated complaints line would only be effective if supported by responsive personnel, transparent investigations, prompt feedback and protection for complainants against retaliation.

It, therefore, urged Disu to constitute special inspection teams led by deputy inspectors-general of police to conduct surprise visits to stations across the country. The IGP, it added, should personally participate in some of the inspections to demonstrate his commitment to accountability and reform.

The proposed teams, HURIWA said, should inspect detention facilities, review arrest and bail records, speak privately with detainees and investigate reports of unofficial payments demanded for bail or the handling of complaints.
 
It stressed that the inspections must remain unannounced to prevent officers from concealing misconduct or manipulating records ahead of the visits.
 
On the alleged threat against Christians in Enugu, the Association called on the DSS and the police to identify those responsible for the song, establish its origin and circulation, assess the credibility of the threat and prosecute anyone found to have committed an offence.
 
HURIWA said the song contained disturbing lyrics that appeared to celebrate religiously motivated violence and threaten an attack on worshippers on a Sunday.
 
The Association warned that threats targeting people because of their religion must not be dismissed as entertainment, political rhetoric or an expression of economic frustration. It said anyone found, on the basis of evidence, to have committed criminal incitement should face the consequences of the law.
 
It urged the security agencies to determine whether the material was part of a wider effort to encourage religious hostility, intimidate Christian communities or inspire attacks against innocent citizens.
 
The Association stressed that freedom of religion and expression did not confer the right to threaten murder or incite violence against people because of their beliefs. Nigerians, it said, must be able to worship without fear of targeted attacks.
 
However, HURIWA cautioned against using the song to stigmatise an entire religious community, insisting that the investigation should focus on the individuals responsible and any networks found to be promoting or facilitating violence.
 
It also called for impartial enforcement of the law, regardless of religious affiliation or political connections, and advocated a broader national conversation on religious extremism, constitutional governance and the protection of fundamental rights.
 
The Association further called for a review of Nigeria’s federal arrangement and the relationship between constitutional guarantees, state-level legal frameworks and the protection of citizens’ rights, saying that any such debate should prioritise national security, equal citizenship, religious freedom and the rule of law.
 
HURIWA maintained that the immediate priorities were to establish the facts surrounding the alleged threat, prevent any potential attack and prosecute the suspects where sufficient admissible evidence supported criminal charges.
 
It also urged the DSS and the police to act promptly, professionally and transparently, warning that failure to address threats of religiously motivated violence could inflame tensions and put innocent communities at risk.
 
The Association said public confidence in the police would also remain fragile if citizens continued to perceive police stations as places where money, rather than the law, determined access to justice.
 
It urged the police leadership to ensure that Nigerians could report crimes, obtain assistance and secure bail without paying unofficial fees, adding that respect for citizens’ rights must be a practical obligation rather than a public relations slogan.