RULAAC Hosts Workshop to Strengthen Journalists’ Role in Police Reform Advocacy
The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative (RULAAC), also known as Partner West Africa (PWAN) with support from the UKAID has organized a one-day training workshop for journalists in Akwa Ibom State, focusing on Nigeria’s Police Reform Act and the media’s responsibility in promoting accountability, transparency, and public trust.
The workshop, held on Thursday, February 5, 2026, at Ceedapeg Hotel, Uyo, brought together journalists from print, broadcast, and online media platforms, featuring presentations by Aisha Abubakar, Ms. Folusho Oluwole, and Mr. Jackson Odeh, who served as facilitators. Delivering a presentation on the Role of Media and Citizens in Ensuring a Robust Reform Framework, Aisha Abubakar explained that the Police Reform Act of 2020 was enacted to reposition the Nigerian Police Force as a professional, people-centered institution.
She added that the Act emphasizes accountability, transparency, respect for human rights, and partnership between the police and communities. To her, the reform framework seeks to promote ethical values such as equity, justice, responsiveness, professionalism through training, and sensitivity to the needs of the public, while ensuring effective crime prevention without undermining citizens’ rights and freedoms.
In her session on “Developmental Reporting and Solutions Journalism”, Ms. Folusho Oluwole encouraged journalists to adopt a more constructive approach in security reporting. She urged media practitioners in the state to balance accountability with fairness, noting that police officers are also human beings operating under demanding and sometimes risky conditions.
She advised journalists to prioritize fact-checking, maintain cordial relationships with designated police spokespersons, and engage security agencies through dialogue, stressing that responsible reporting can help improve police-community relations and public confidence. Speaking on Building Local Accountability and Journalism: From Witness to Explainer, Mr. Jackson Odeh emphasized the strategic position of journalists in governance and democratic accountability.
He noted that the media plays a critical role in monitoring the performance of the police and other government institutions, particularly in crime prevention and management. Odeh stated that informed and ethical journalism is essential for transparency, adding that the absence of thorough investigative reporting weakens accountability and public trust in institutions.
The workshop featured interactive discussions, during which participants shared experiences from the field and examined challenges surrounding police reportage, public perception, and reform implementation. Many participants described the training as enlightening and timely, given ongoing conversations around police accountability and reform in Nigeria.
RULAAC noted that the training was designed to equip journalists with the basic knowledge and tools needed to report policing issues responsibly and to contribute meaningfully to the ongoing police reform process in the country.
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