FG mandates NHRC to investigate complaints on SARS

The Federal Government has mandated the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to set-up an Investigative Panel concerning public complaints on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

In a statement signed by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs of the commission, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, NHRC’s Executive Secretary, Mr. Tony Ojukwu disclosed this on Monday while speaking in Abuja.

He said the public outcry, complaints and numerous reports in the electronic, print and social media alleging gross violations of human rights of fellow citizens by men and women of SARS informed the government’s decision to set up the panel.

He said some of the complaints and reports received bordered on issues of alleged abuse of power, arbitrary/unlawful arrest and detention, enforced disappearances, extra-judicial killings, prolonged detention without trial, extortion, brutality, inhuman and degrading treatment among others.

Ojukwu said the essence of the public sitting is to increase access of Nigerians to the services of the Commission and seek for accountability where there are evidence of human rights violations by the squad.

In his remark, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Intelligence Ben Okolo who represented the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris said the service was aware of the enormous responsibility placed on the panel.

Okolo thus assured the public that no one will be victimized for saying his or her views during the sitting.

Meanwhile, Mr. Idris Bawa of the Nigerian Policing Programme said it was a huge task to carry out a deliberation that will reform SARS.

He said the work of the Nigerian policing programme was to assist the police where necessary in areas of cultism, drugs abuse and internally displaced persons in the North-East.