The Senate, Wednesday, condemned in strong terms, trigger – happy officers of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) who had carried out a series of extrajudicial killings in the land and wasted innocent lives in the process.
FSARS is a special department of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), In charge of robberies and other related crimes.
The embattled police unit has been in the news for over a week, following outcries from Nigerians on why the squad should be scrapped and officers and men attached to it involved in extrajudicial killings and other related crimes, prosecuted.
Following the outcries, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, ordered the suspension of activities of SARS across the country, pending when issues surrounding it’s operations will be resolved.
Debating a motion sponsored by Senator Oluremi Tinubu (APC Lagos Central), the Senate said the injustices and flagrant disregard of laws that should govern all Nigerians and the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, must be investigated.
She said, “Chapter 4 of the constitution provides for right to life, right to freedom of movement, among others.
“Nigeria is a signatory to the African charter of human and people’s right and the convention against torture. In spite of this, the culture of brutality of security operatives towards Nigerians have continued unabated.
“Only recently, the internet was awashed with videos of the death of the Nigerian Defence Academy which created an illegal blockage at Sabo-Yaba in Lagos state, while exclaiming that it was their turn to oppress Nigerians and nothing could be done about it.
“The Senate is further saddened that on Tuesday 1st March, the Nigerian army while on lockdown were alleged to have beaten a man to death in Delta state. While the Nigerian army is doing a good job in securing the territory against insurgents, allegations of human rights abuses by its officers cannot be overlooked.
“Nigerian youths can no longer move freely for fear that they will be profiled and accused of being yahoo boys or fraudsters merely because they look good, own laptops, iPhones, nice looking cars or profiled as having dreads.”
She said the Senate was concerned that with more Nigerian youth involved in software development, Fintech and doing more remote jobs in the ICT, profiling by policemen is the major problem.
“Despite assurances by the IGP in 2015 and 2017, that there will be reforms of SARS, Nigerians are daily being abducted and extorted under duress with no mechanism in place for complaints. A militarised police will only make the people the enemy of the state,” she added.
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, in his remarks, insisted that FSARS operatives involved in extrajudicial killings must be arrested and prosecuted.
“I think that this is the situation that should be properly investigated. Those in love in recent incidents should be arrested and prosecuted. The law should take its due course. This is not acceptable. Nigerians need to know what happened by those who have killed Nigerians.
“There are good people and bad people in SARS. Probably, scrapping of agencies when you have mistakes may not be the best position. Rule of law should be put in place”, he said.
In its resolution, the Senate mandated the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate human right abuses by Nigerian security agencies
It urged the various security agencies to establish hotlines to enable Nigerians to Report abuses by their agents.
It further urged the various security agencies to establish a special Bureau unit that monitors the conduct of its officers, arrests and charges erring ones .
It also mandated its committee on Police Affairs and Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters to investigate allegations of extra judicial executions and make recommendations for reparation.
The Senate Committee on Police Affairs is to organise a stakeholders meeting, to investigate implementation of the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act.
