The Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, on Tuesday, directed the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, to immediately begin the overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
He has also directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a panel to probe allegations of rights abuse by the police unit.
The Senior Special Assistant to the Acting President on Media and Publicity, Mr Laolu Akande, disclosed these in a statement made available to journalists.
Akande said the Acting President’s directive was based on persistent complaints being made by members of the public against the SARS.
He said Osinbajo also directed the police boss to ensure that any unit that would emerge from the overhaul was intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of crimes.
The statement read, “Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad that border on allegations of human rights violations, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.
“The Acting President has also directed the IG to ensure that all operatives in the emerging unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Human Rights Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects. The operatives should also bear proper identification anytime they are on duty.
“In the meantime, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a special panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.”
However, Idris has ordered a psychological evaluation of all Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad personnel immediately.
He said that henceforth, the SARS operatives would not perform ‘stop and search’ duties except on distress calls in response to armed robbery and kidnapping incidents.
The IG in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, Jimoh Moshood, explained that under the new arrangement, a new Commissioner of Police had been appointed as the overall head of the FSARS nationwide.
“Medical/psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel will be carried out immediately; redesigning of new uniform with identity name tag for all FSARS personnel throughout the country will be done immediately.
“Henceforth, FSARS personnel will not perform ‘Stop and Search’ duties except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping offences only,” the IG declared.
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