reforms in the Nigerian Police Force
A presidential panel on Tuesday approved the demands of
#SARSMUSEND protesters, including halting the use of force against
protesters and the unconditional release of arrested
citizens.
The five-point demands of the
protesters were okayed at a forum convened by the Inspector General
of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and the National Human Rights
Commission, with stakeholders, a statement by the Special Adviser
to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina,
said.
It was a multi-stakeholders’
forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil society
organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment
industry, and the ENDSARS movement and development
partners.
A communiqué issued at the end
of the meeting read in part “The Forum collectively: welcomed the
dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by the
Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Reaffirmed the
constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and
protest; Further affirmed the sanctity of life of every Nigerian
and the role of the Police in protecting this right; Affirms that
the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement
are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the
Government.’’
The communiqué was signed by the
Inspector-General of Police and Executive Secretary of the National
Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu.
Tuesday’s decision comes on the back of continued protests
across the country, despite the dissolution of SARS by the IGP on
Sunday.
Beyond agreeing to the demands of the protesters, the forum
said the dissolution of SARS
presented an opportunity to embark on comprehensive reforms aimed
at repositioning the Nigerian Police Force as a modern, responsive
and citizens-centred law enforcement organisation.
“The Forum further noted that
the proposed reforms should be anchored under the basis of the
White Paper on the Report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform
of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which was jointly authored by the
National Human Rights Commission, the Federal Ministry of Justice,
and the Nigeria Police Force,” the communique said.
“The Forum affirms that reform
proposals for the Nigerian Police Force will be based on the
Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and existing
legislations such as the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Nigeria
Police Trust Fund Act, 2019, the Administration of Criminal Justice
Act, 2015 the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, and the National Human Rights
Commission Act, 2010 amongst others.”
Part of the demands of the protesters was an investigation into
human rights violations against SARS operatives, including
killings, and the brutalisation of protesters.
This was also addressed in the communique.
“The Forum welcomed the proposal
to set up an Independent Investigation Panel to look into the
violations of human rights by the defunct SARS and other segments
of the Nigerian Police,” it said.
“The Forum agrees to the setting
up of this Independent Panel by the National Human Rights
Commission within the next one week. An open call for Memoranda
from members of the public whose rights have been violated by the
defunct SARS and other segments of the Police will be released by
the Commission within one week.”
It also addressed calls for the
retraining of SARS operatives before they are redeployed, saying,
“The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and
retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to
re-deployment.”
“The Forum resolves to set up
the following Technical Sub-Committees to design an implementation
roadmap and work plan for the implementation of the White Paper:
Training, Capacity, and Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure,
Communications, and Technology; Arrest, Detention, and
Investigations; Regulations, Oversight and Accountability and
Financing and Partnerships.’’
The communiqué stated that
sub-Committees will be supported by the National Human Rights
Commission and other civil society organisations.
Those who attended the meeting
are: Dr Kole Shettima- MAC Arthur Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma –
Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of OSIWA; Segun Awosanya
(Segalinks) – End Sars Movement; Yemi Adamolekun- Enough is
Enough; Clément Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani- CISLAC; Kemi
Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ – CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Prof Deji
Adekunle –NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research &
Policy; Dr Fatima Waziri – Rule of Law Adviser OVP and
Abdulrahman Yakubu – NHRC Secretariat.
Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC
secretariat; Halilu Adamu – NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh – NHRC
secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh – PRAWA and Onyinye Ndubuisi –
UNDP.
The Ministry of Police Affairs
and Police Service Commission were also present at the
meeting.
Read the full statement by Mr Adesina
below:
RELEASE PRESIDENTIAL PANEL ON POLICE REFORMS SWINGS INTO ACTION,
OKAYS 5-POINT DEMAND OF PROTESTERS
Following directives by President Muhammadu Buhari on
dissolution of Special Anti-Robbery Squad and immediate response to
yearnings of citizens, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed
Adamu, convened a meeting with stakeholders, agreeing to meet
demands, which include halting use of force against protesters and
unconditional release of arrested citizens.
The meeting, organized by the Office of the Inspector General of
Police and National Human Rights Commission, was a
multi-stakeholders’ forum attended by leaders and representatives
of civil society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the
entertainment industry and the ENDSARS movement and development
partners.
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The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission
were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point
demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine
concerns and will be addressed by the Government.
A communiqué of Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Implementation of
the Recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) said:
“Following the public protests regarding various forms of human
rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the
consequent disbandment of the unit by the Inspector General of
Police, Mohammed Adamu, there arose the need for stakeholder
engagement to build trust and restore public confidence in law
enforcement.
“The agitations also brought to the fore, the need to implement
the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“The Forum was addressed by the Inspector General of Police and
the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights
Commission.
“The Forum collectively: welcomed the dissolution of the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by the Inspector General of Police,
Mohammed Adamu; Reaffirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians
to peaceful assembly and protest; Further affirmed the sanctity of
life of every Nigerian and the role of the Police in protecting
this right; Affirms that the five-point demands of the protesters
and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed
by the Government.’’
According to the communiqué signed by the Inspector General of
Police and Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights
Commission, Tony Ojukwu, Esq, the Forum noted that the dissolution
of SARS presents an opportunity to embark on comprehensive reforms
aimed at repositioning the Nigerian Police Force as a modern,
responsive and citizens-centred law enforcement organisation.
“The Forum further notes that the proposed reforms should be
anchored under the basis of the White Paper on the Report of the
Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad
which was jointly authored by the National Human Rights Commission,
the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Forum affirms that reform proposals for the Nigerian Police
Force will be based on Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria and existing legislations such as the Nigeria Police Act,
2020, the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2019, the Administration
of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, and the
National Human Rights Commission Act, 2010 amongst others.
“Following the dissolution of SARS, the Forum calls for the
following immediate steps to be taken in restoring public
confidence and trust in the Police: An order by the Inspector
General of Police to all State Commands to halt the use of force
against protesters; Unconditional release of arrested protesters
and citizens; Open communication and outreach to citizens to
establish trust and confidence and a roadmap for the implementation
of the White Paper of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the
SARS.
“The Forum welcomed the proposal to set up an Independent
Investigation Panel to look into the violations of human rights by
the defunct SARS and other segments of the Nigerian Police. The
Forum agrees to the setting up of this Independent Panel by the
National Human Rights Commission within the next one week. An open
call for Memoranda from members of the public whose rights have
been violated by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Police
will be released by the Commission within one week.
“The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and
retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment. The
Forum resolves to set up the following Technical Sub-Committees to
design an implementation roadmap and work plan for the
implementation of the White Paper: Training, Capacity and
Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure, Communications and
Technology; Arrest, Detention, and Investigations; Regulations,
Oversight and Accountability and Financing and Partnerships.’’
The communiqué stated that sub-Committees will be supported by
the National Human Rights Commission and other civil society
organisations.
Those who attended the meeting are: Dr Kole Shettima- MAC Arthur
Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma – Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of
OSIWA; Segun Awosanya(segalinks) – End Sars Movement; Yemi
Adamolekun- Enough is Enough; Clément Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani-
CISLAC; Kemi Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ – CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Prof
Deji Adekunle –NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research &
Policy; Dr Fatima Waziri – Rule of Law Adviser OVP and Abdulrahman
Yakubu – NHRC Secretariat.
Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC secretariat; Halilu Adamu –
NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh – NHRC secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh –
PRAWA and Onyinye Ndubuisi – UNDP.
Femi Adesina Special Adviser to the President (Media &
Publicity) October 13, 2020