‘Osinbajo’s reforms not working’ — Amnesty speaks on fresh killing by SARS

Amnesty International, human rights group, says the reforms Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo initiated during the heat of the campaign against the special anti-robbery squad (SARS), are not working.

In August when President Muhammadu Buhari went on vacation abroad, Osinbajo, who acted on his behalf, had ordered the reorganisation of SARS.

This had earned him commendation but the killing of Kolade Johnson, a resident of Onipetesi in the Mangoro area of Lagos state, has sparked yet another outrage against SARS.

A stray bullet reportedly fired by a policeman in the area led to the death of Kolade.

Responding in a  statement on Monday, Amnesty International said the government must investigate the killing of Kolade.

“Kolade Johnson is the latest victim of the SARS police unit which has become notorious for extrajudicial killings, torture and extortion,” Osai Ojigho, director of Amnesty International Nigeria, was quoted to have said.

“This appears to be an unlawful killing which must be impartially and thoroughly investigated, with any officers suspected of criminal responsibility for wrongdoing brought to justice in fair trial before an ordinary civilian court. It is shameful that more than two years since Amnesty International highlighted crimes under international law and human rights violations by SARS, these shocking incidents continue unabated.

“All subsequent government pledges to reform SARS, including one by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in August last year, have amounted to nothing.”

There has been a public outcry over the killing, with thousands of people using the #EndSARS social media hashtag in the past 24 hours.

“Nigerians will no longer accept the brutality being unleashed against them by SARS on an almost daily basis,” Ojigho said.

“SARS is a police unit created to protect the people. Instead it has become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption.”

Amnesty International’s investigations into the activities of SARS across Nigeria since 2016 have exposed the callous workings of a police squad operating outside of the law.

The September 2016 report ‘Nigeria: You have signed your death warrant’ showed how the unit has been systematically torturing detainees as a means of extracting confessions and bribes.