By PAUL ADAJI, Abuja –
President of the Senate, Ahmad Lawan, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for listening to the voice of the Nigerians over their dissatisfaction with the operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force.
Lawan gave the commendation in a press statement by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, in Abuja on Sunday, just as former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, believed the scrapping of SARS had offered Nigeria “the opportunity to envision a police and policing system that will fulfill the interest of Nigerians.”
On his part, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, described the dissolution of the SARS by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, as a victory for Nigerian youths.
The comments by the Senate President, former vice president and Lagos governor, came in reaction to Sunday’s announcement by IGP Adamu that SARS had been dissolved, following growing public protests across Nigeria over the brutal attitude of the infamous SARS.
According to the Senate President, with the courageous decision to dissolve the police unit, the President and his government have shown themselves as responsive to the feelings of the people.
“I am applauding the President because it is a demonstration of good leadership to yield to the demand of the populace in difficult situations like this,” Lawan said.
He also commended the Inspector-General of Police for the decision and challenged him to come up with measures for the transformation of the Nigeria Police into an effective law enforcement and crime fighting agency that will be a true and respected friend of the Nigerian people.
The Senate President said the measures should fully address all the issues that earned the dissolved SARS the odium of the Nigerian people.
“The expectation is that this situation offers us another opportunity to reform the operations of the entire Force.
“I also reiterate my call for the prosecution of all security personnel whose extra judicial killings and other acts of misconduct brought us to this sorry state.
“I hope that the steps taken by the Inspector-General of Police will be followed with more comprehensive reform of the Police,” Lawan said.
SARS dissolution, an opportunity for peoples-focused police – Atiku
In a statement issued by his Media Office and signed by Mr Paul lbe, in Abuja on Sunday, Abubakar said that the envisaged comprehensive overhaul of the police should take into consideration the needs of regional, state and council components.
He, however, observed that redeploying the bad eggs from the disbanded SARS to other units of the Police may not augur well as they are capable of polluting those units.
Abubakar said that the affected officers need to be properly screened and retrained to ensure that they do not come into their new assignments with the same mindset for which the disbanded unit was notorious for.
He proposed an independent judicial inquiry into the activities of SARS that would ensure “justice for victims of extrajudicial killings and punishment for officers involved in such dastardly acts.”
The former vice president also suggested the opening of the dreaded SARS cells for scrutiny and stock taking of detainees.
Abubakar paid tribute to the Nigerian youths for their resilience in exerting pressure on the police authorities to disband the FSARS in response to public agitations to end abuses by the anti-robbery squad.
“This was the right thing to do. A system that brutally eliminates our youths is not one to hold on to, and neither can we be proud of it.
“Now we can start on a clean sheet to envision an elite police unit similar to the SWAT team in America and a comprehensive overhaul of the police and policing system that is peoples-focused,” he said.
Abubakar added that “the will of the people is the bulwark of the democratic system and those in authority cannot ignore the will of the people without undermining democracy itself.”
Abubakar congratulated Nigerian youths on achieving their resolve, reminding them that if they stand united they could achieve much more.
He enjoined the youths to be steadfast in ensuring good governance in an egalitarian society.
He commended the courage and patriotism of Nigerian youths that took to the streets and the social media to call for an end to the brutal abuses by SARS operatives.
“Citizens who engaged in peaceful protests without molesting innocent people are heroes of our democracy.
“I must commend the courage and tenacity of these youths for holding rogue elements in the police force accountable.
“Apathy in the face of abuses promotes impunity, and therefore these young men and women deserve our respect for championing the disbandment of SARS,” Abubakar said.
He paid tribute to Jimoh Isiaq who was killed in Ogbomoso in the course of the #EndSARS protests and all allegedly extra judicially killed over the years, saying “I hope that their sacrifices would not be in vain.”
SARS dissolution is victory for Nigerian youths — Sanwo-Olu
Speaking with journalists on arrival in Lagos from Ondo State where he was Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship campaign team, Sanwo-Olu said that the protests, held across the world, showed the beauty of democracy and that people had the right to express their views.
The governor commended the youths for being very peaceful during the protests, and promised that the government meant business about the disbandment of SARS.
”The beauty of democracy is that people have the right to protest, to air their views, to speak out when things are not going right and I have identified with them.
”This is real democracy being played out. They have the right as our youths, as our citizens to correct and say we do not want this.
”Let me commend all of our youths that have come out in Lagos. I have been monitoring on a daily basis and it has been very peaceful. That is what we want, you can actually make your point in a peaceful and orderly manner,” Sanwo-Olu said.
He urged the youths not to doubt the government’s sincerity, as it was the first time government would be disolving the group.
Sanwo-Olu said that the youths had his full support on their demand, as he would not sit back and allow any residents be maltreated.
He said the statement of government was very clear on the disbandment and there would be measures that would be taken afterward.
The governor said he had spoken with the Commissioner of Police and the State Director of the Department of State Security Services (DSS) on the way forward.
”We thank the FG for listening to the voice of the people via peaceful but powerful protests showing the people’s commitment to protecting each other irrespective of gender or tribe,” he said.(With NAN reports)
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