Police Service Commission to implement report on SARS reform recommending sack of 37 officers
The Police Service Commission, on Friday, promised to speed up action on the implementation of the Report of the Presidential Panel on Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The PSC revealed this after a meeting with the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) led by its Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu.
The report, submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari in June 2019, recommended the dismissal of 37 Police Officers and prosecution of 24.
The Panel also directed the Inspector General of Police to unravel the identity of 22 officers involved in the violation of the human rights of innocent citizens.
The Presidential Panel had among other things investigated allegations of human rights violations and abuse of office against SARS and recommended reform or restructuring of the outfit.
The PSC Chairman who is also a former Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith, said for an effective reform of the “much maligned SARS, there must be a deliberate effort to select capable, professional and credible people to replace the disbanded outfit.”
The selected Officers, he added, must be properly trained and exposed to regular training.
Smith said there must also be close supervision of the newly selected Officers so that the nation will not experience the rot that became the fate of the disbanded unit. Any misconduct, he noted, should be severely and promptly handled”.
He however said government should show more concern to the funding of its vital Agencies as these Agencies need funds to do their job. He also made a case for proper and ‘living accommodation for the Officers of the Nigeria Police, stressing that these Officers need good accommodation to put in their best.
The Executive Secretary of the Human Rights Commission told the PSC Chairman that PSC has all it takes to deal appropriately with the Report of the Presidential Panel on Reform of Anti-Robbery Squad, (SARS). “We have come to see a PSC determined to play a leading role in the reform of the Nigeria Police Force”, he said.
Ojukwu said the reform is the most topical issue in the country today, adding that a lot is expected from the PSC.
He noted that the Panel called for and received 113 complaints on alleged human rights violations from across the country and 22 memoranda on suggestions on how to reform and restructure SARS and the Nigeria Police in general.
