Amnesty International Nigeria has hailed Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, for ordering an immediate overhaul of the country’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit.
In a statement sent to DAILY POST, Osai Ojigho, AI Director in
Nigeria, said: “This is an overdue yet hugely important move by Acting
President Osinbajo. The growing outcry over the brutality of Nigeria’s
notorious SARS police unit has finally got the attention of the
country’s authorities.
“While this is positive news, it is crucial that any overhaul of SARS
is far-reaching and immediately effective. Restructuring SARS is not
enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians.
“The reform ordered by the Acting President must translate into
ending the torture, unlawful detention, extortion, extrajudicial
killings and other serious human rights violations that SARS officers
have been committing for years across Nigeria. That includes bringing to
justice SARS officers found to have committed atrocities.
“There is much compelling public evidence of human rights violations
committed by SARS, some of it directly documented by Amnesty
International, and this should now be used to aid an effective
investigation into the unit’s crimes.
“The special panel convened to investigate SARS must be independent
and impartial. Its aims can only be achieved if victims are given time
and protection to present their cases.”
In September 2016, an Amnesty International report highlighted gross violations by SARS, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment.
The report prompted assurances from the Nigerian authorities that
SARS would be reformed, yet shocking violations committed by the unit
have continued.
-Daily Post
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