The Rule of Law and Empowerment Initiative, popularly known as Partners West Africa Nigeria (PWAN), has reiterated the importance of responsible media engagement in advancing police reform, as it hosted a one-day capacity-building workshop for journalists in Nigeria.
The sensitisation programme, which attracted media practitioners from different organisations, focused on improving the quality of reportage on police accountability, citizens’ rights and security sector reforms.
The initiative forms part of ongoing efforts to ensure that the public is well informed about reforms within the Nigeria Police Force and the legal frameworks guiding them.
Speaking at the workshop, PWAN’s Executive Director, Kemi Okenyodo, explained that the training was designed to strengthen democratic governance by empowering journalists with in-depth knowledge of the Police Act 2020 and contemporary policing standards.
She noted that the media plays a strategic role in shaping public discourse and influencing accountability within the security sector.
According to Okenyodo, the workshop exposed participants to critical issues such as police oversight mechanisms, ethical and gender-responsive reporting, and the responsibility of the press in promoting professionalism and transparency in law enforcement.
She stressed that accurate and balanced reporting remains essential to building trust between citizens and the police.
She further described PWAN as a women-led civil society organisation committed to improving security governance, amplifying citizens’ voices, and strengthening protection systems across Nigeria and West Africa, with particular attention to women, youth and other vulnerable groups.
Okenyodo disclosed that the workshop is part of a broader project supported by the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), titled “Enhancing Public Trust and Gender-Responsive Policing in Nigeria Through Effective Implementation of the Police Act 2020.”
The project is being implemented across Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones.
She explained that the initiative seeks to promote institutional accountability within the Nigeria Police Force, reduce human rights violations, and encourage a policing culture that is responsive to the needs of the public.
Beyond training, the PWAN Executive Director added that the engagement provided a platform for open dialogue, allowing journalists to share field experiences, raise concerns, and propose practical ways of strengthening cooperation between communities, the media and law enforcement agencies.
The workshop, she said, underscores PWAN’s belief that sustainable police reform cannot be achieved without an informed media and an engaged citizenry working together to promote accountability and public trust.