Breaking: Buhari okays State, LG police

Barely 24 hours after the Christian Association of Nigerian (CAN) call for the creation of state police as the major solutions to ending the insecurity in the country, President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday approved the establishment of state and local government police.

Recall that as part of the agitation for restructuring, many stakeholders have called for the establishment of state police as a way of bringing policing to the grassroots as a well as curbing insecurity in the country.

The president also approved the dismissal of 37 police officers as recommended by the National Human Rights Commission Presidential Special Panel on SARS Reforms.

This was contained in the statement by the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission and Chairman Presidential Panel on SARS Reform, Anthony Ojukwu, on Monday during the submission of the report of the Presidential Panel on the reform of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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The Panel according to Ojukwu 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.

He said, “At the end of its public hearing and having listened to complaints as well as defendants and their counsel, the Panel recommended thirty-seven (37) Police officers for dismissal from the force.

Twenty four (24) were recommended for prosecution. ” The panel also directed the Inspector General of Police to unravel the identity of twenty-two (22) officers involved in the violation of the human rights of innocent Citizens. “The police was directed to pay compensation of various sums in forty—five (45) complaints and tender public apologies in five (5) complaints and directed to obey court orders in five (5) matters.

“The Police was directed to immediately arrest and prosecute two (2) retired senior Police officers found to have violated the rights of citizens (one for extra-judicial killing and the other for illegal takeover of Property of a suspect). The Panel also recovered two vehicles illegally auctioned by SARS Officers and returned them to their owners.”

Some other key recommendations of the Panel include,” Significant improvement in the funding, kitting and facilities of the Nigeria Police Force; Strengthening Information and Communication Technology of the Force; Establishment of State and local government Police.”

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