Presidential panel recommends establishment of state police

The presidential panel on the reform of special anti-robbery squad (SARS) has recommended the establishment of state and local government police to tackle the rising insecurity in the country.

This is in the report it submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari at the presidential villa in Abuja on Monday.

The panel, chaired by Tony Ojukwu, executive secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, was constituted as a result of public outcry on the “human rights violations perpetrated by officers and men of SARS”.

The panel also recommended for a significant improvement in the funding, kitting and facilities of the police force, and strengthening of the information and communication technology of the force.

It called for the institutionalising of a special investigation panel to annually hear and determine complaints on alleged human rights violations against operations of the police.

“At the end of its public hearing and having listened to complaints as well as defendants and their counsel, the Panel recommended thirty seven (37) Police officers for dismissal from the force. Twenty four (24) were recommended for prosecution,” Ojukwu said.

“The panel also directed the inspector general of police to unravel the identity of twenty-two officers involved in the violation of the human rights of innocent Citizens.”

Responding, the president thanked the panel for their work and directed the Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-general of police to meet with the NHRC to work out the modalities of the implementation of the report within “3 months from today”.

The president also promised to fulfill the recommendations and strengthen the commission’s operations to enhance its effectiveness.

“I hereby direct that since the recommendations of the Commission that constituted the Panel are enforceable as decisions of the Court, that the Inspector General of Police and the Solicitor General of the Federation/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice meet with the Commission to work out the modalities for the implementation of the Report within three months from today,” Buhari said.