Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has directed Ibrahim Idris,
inspector-general of police (IGP), to overhaul the special anti-robbery squad
(SARS).
Laolu
Akande, spokesman of the acting president, disclosed this in a statement.
The
statement said the vice-president asked the IGP to ensure that SARS operatives
act in adherence to the rule of law.
“Following
persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, His
Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Acting-President, Federal Republic of
Nigeria, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate
effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit
that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted
to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and
apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more,” the
statement read.
“The Acting
President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the
emerging unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law
and with due regard to International Humanitarian LAw and the constitutionally
guaranteed rights of suspects. The operatives should also bear proper
identification anytime they are on duty.
“In the
meantime, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights
Commission to set up a Committee that will conduct nation-wide investigation of
the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the
general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to
ensuring redress.”
There has
been a campaign against the police outfit accused of illegalities such as
extortion, intimidation and arbitrary arrest.
The
#endSARS campaign has been on social media for close to a year.
- The
Cable
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