John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation has awarded a grant to CLEEN Foundation (formerly known as the Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria) to improve police accountability in Nigeria through sustained police reforms.

The grant is part of a roughly $80 million in awards in support of the MacArthur Foundation’s Equitable Recovery Initiative, centred on advancing racial and ethnic justice.

In a statement, Dr. Benson Olugbuo, Executive Director, CLEEN Foundation explained that the grant will support the Foundation to deepen the advocacy on police reforms through strategic collaboration with critical stakeholders concerned with policing in Nigeria.

“The drive for reformed police in Nigeria has become apparent and non-negotiable considering events that surrounded the EndSARS protests which touched on the need for the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to respect the fundamental rights of citizens to protest impunity and misconduct and for them to act within the confines of the law", Oluigbo said.

He added that the grant will sustain CLEEN Foundation’s efforts to push for holistic police reforms in Nigeria and to make the police more accountable to the citizens, working in concert with key government agencies and partners.

CLEEN Foundation is one of the organisations receiving grants to advance the Racial Justice Field Support, with a focus on combating Anti-Blackness focus areas of the MacArthur Foundation’s initiative.

CLEEN Foundation is a non-governmental organization established in January 1998 with the mission of promoting public safety, security, and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes and publications, in partnership with government, civil society and the private sector.

CLEEN Foundation is a recipient of several awards, including the Human Rights Award 2019 (National Human Rights Commission), The Best e-Governance Project 2016 (NITDA-Nihilent e-Governance Award), Advocate of Peace and Social Justice 2016 (The Limit Breakers’ Award), The Best NGO in ICT Deployment 2016 (NITDA-Nihilent e-Governance Award) and MacArthur Foundation 2006 (Creative & Effective Institutions Award).

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