Tuesday, October 13, 04:19 PM / by State House/ Header Image Credit: @perlikspictures
Following directives by President Muhammadu Buhari on
dissolution of Special Anti-Robbery Squad and immediate response to yearnings
of citizens, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, convened a
meeting with stakeholders, agreeing to meet demands, which include halting use
of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens.
The meeting, organized by the Office of the Inspector
General of Police and National Human Rights Commission, was a
multi-stakeholders' forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil
society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment industry and
the ENDSARS movement and development partners.
Source:
@Perlinks
The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service
Commission were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point
demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and
will be addressed by the Government.
A communique of Stakeholders' Meeting on the
Implementation of the Recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform
of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) said:
"Following the public protests regarding various forms
of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the
consequent disbandment of the unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed
Adamu, there arose the need for stakeholder engagement to build trust and
restore public confidence in law enforcement.
"The agitations also brought to the fore, the need to
implement the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
"The Forum was addressed by the Inspector General of
Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.
"The Forum collectively: welcomed the dissolution of
the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by the Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Adamu; Reaffirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful
assembly and protest; Further affirmed the sanctity of life of every Nigerian
and the role of the Police in protecting this right; Affirms that the
five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine
concerns and will be addressed by the Government."
According to the communique signed by the Inspector
General of Police and Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights
Commission, Tony Ojukwu, Esq, the Forum noted that the dissolution of SARS
presents an opportunity to embark on comprehensive reforms aimed at
repositioning the Nigerian Police Force as a modern, responsive and
citizens-centred law enforcement organisation.
"The Forum further notes that the proposed reforms
should be anchored under the basis of the White Paper on the Report of the Presidential
Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which was jointly
authored by the National Human Rights Commission, the Federal Ministry of
Justice, and the Nigeria Police Force.
"The Forum affirms that reform proposals for the
Nigerian Police Force will be based on Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and existing legislations such as the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the
Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2019, the Administration of Criminal Justice
Act, 2015 the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, and the National Human Rights Commission
Act, 2010 amongst others.
"Following the dissolution of SARS, the Forum calls
for the following immediate steps to be taken in restoring public confidence
and trust in the Police: An order by the Inspector General of Police to all
State Commands to halt the use of force against protesters; Unconditional
release of arrested protesters and citizens; Open communication and outreach to
citizens to establish trust and confidence and a roadmap for the implementation
of the White Paper of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the SARS.
"The Forum welcomed the proposal to set up an
Independent Investigation Panel to look into the violations of human rights by
the defunct SARS and other segments of the Nigerian Police. The Forum agrees to
the setting up of this Independent Panel by the National Human Rights
Commission within the next one week. An open call for Memoranda from members of
the public whose rights have been violated by the defunct SARS and other
segments of the Police will be released by the Commission within one week.
Source:
@Perlinks
"The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation,
training and retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment. The
Forum resolves to set up the following Technical Sub-Committees to design an
implementation roadmap and work plan for the implementation of the White Paper:
Training, Capacity and Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure,
Communications and Technology; Arrest, Detention, and Investigations;
Regulations, Oversight and Accountability and Financing and Partnerships."
The communique stated that sub-Committees will be
supported by the National Human Rights Commission and other civil society
organisations.
Those who attended the meeting are: Dr Kole Shettima-
MAC Arthur Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma - Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of
OSIWA; Segun Awosanya(segalinks) - End Sars Movement; Yemi
Adamolekun- Enough is Enough; Clement Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani- CISLAC; Kemi
Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ - CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Prof Deji Adekunle
-NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research & Policy; Dr
Fatima Waziri - Rule of Law Adviser OVP and Abdulrahman Yakubu - NHRC
Secretariat.
Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC secretariat; Halilu
Adamu - NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh - NHRC secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh - PRAWA
and Onyinye Ndubuisi - UNDP.
Femi Adesina
Special Adviser to the President
(Media & Publicity)
October 13, 2020
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