Enugu State Chief Judge, Priscilla Emehelu, yesterday said that
the operations of the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS) must be
guided by the human rights principles as enshrined in the
constitution of Nigeria in order to meet up with international best
practices.
Emehelu made this known at the opening ceremony of a two -day
workshop on the provision of monitoring and support to the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS) in the state.
Emehelu who was represented by Justice A. O Anidi, said that
though substantial reformations had been undertaken by the Police
hierarchy to address the numerous complaints and allegations of
human rights abuses against SARS personnel, reformations had not
well been observed as the incidents that led to the nationwide call
for reformation still rear up their ugly heads.
Describing the workshop as important and timely, Anidi recalled
that the then Acting president, Yemi Osibanjo gave a directive to
the former Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris to ensure a
total overhaul of the SARS.
She however regretted that some overzealous personnel had become
dangerous to the society by their unprofessional and unlawful
conducts of illegal detentions, torture, extra judicial killing and
series of human rights abuses and have constituted a toxic climate
of fear to the populace.
According to her, SARS is a special police unit created with
specific mandate to prevent, confront and solve cases related to
armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes.
She said that the police must therefore strengthen their
monitoring apparatus in combating these challenges of some
unscrupulous elements in SARS.
“Continuous assessment of operatives deployed to SARS must be
regularly conducted to determine their suitability in keeping with
acceptable standards.”
“It is not in doubt that the citizens will be better protected
if the police are provided with the right equipment, good working
conditions, training and all the necessary support they require”
she said.
On his part, the representative of the Deputy Inspector General,
DIG in charge of Training and Development, Force Headquarters,
Abiodun Odude, Oti Ademola said that officers of the Nigerian
Police Force, NPF must be careful when going about their duties
because the force is determined more than ever before to reward or
punish any officer who defaults while discharging his/her
duties.
“Activities of the police force must be in line with democratic
principles which strict compliance to human rights observance is
part of and for them to be able to effectively perform this task,
they must be equipped both theoretically and practically” he
said.
Speaking further, he said it was believed that lessons learnt in
the workshop would be maximally put to use because it was when the
usage was activated that the society could be proud of the
police.
Earlier in her address, the Deputy Director of Prisoner’s
Rehabilitation and Welfare Actions, (PRAWA) Mr. Ogechi Ogu said
that the training was part of efforts put in place to build the
capacity of members of the Nigerian Police Force, SARS especially
so that they could serve the country better as there was a reason
why it was established.
According to her, building capacity of training institutions and
members of various units would help in addressing issues of human
rights and the standards as well as principles that were adequate
for the police in the discharge of their duties.
“It is hoped that at the end of this workshop, the NPF would be
better equipped and more focused to tackle cases of human rights
violations as well as armed robbery and other violent crimes.
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