The National Human Rights Commission NHRC has called on the Nigerian Police to take the ongoing investigations on the alleged injustices meted on Nigerians by its members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS serious to enable the Panel conclude it’s assignment.
The commission in a press statement made the call through its Deputy Director Public Affairs Fatimah Agwai Mohammed in Abuja.
The statement said, “the commission is determined to fight for the rights and dignity of every person leaving in Nigeria.”
The statement is coming against the background that the “police team has abandoned the Independent Investigative Panel on Alleged Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other units of the Nigerian Police Force since the resumed sitting of the Panel on the 1st of March 2022.”
“This is evident in the near absence of the police legal team at the panel despite proper information and hearing notices following the 2022 resumption of sitting,” the statement explained.
“At the resumed sitting the panel had only one police counsel, Mr. Kenneth Egbuchua who represents the institution, and policemen that are listed as respondents in all the cases before the panel.”
“In the event that the police fail to heed this call and take the necessary steps to discharge their responsibilities at the panel, the Commission will be left with the option to invoke its powers under the NHRC Amendment Act 2010.” the statement warned.
The statement recalled that “the panel had suffered several setbacks and adjournments due to the lack of cooperation on the part of the police whose counsel has either refused to appear before the panel or refused to send signals to compel its many officers.
The officers invited to appear before the panels were those involved in reported cases.
Lateefah Ibrahim
