The Presidential Panel on Police Reforms has approved immediate implementation of five-point demand of the protesters demanding end to police brutality by operatives of disbanded FSARS.
A meeting conveyed by the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu and attended by stakeholders discussed the need to restore public confidence and trust in the police and resoved that following steps be taken immediately:
- An order by the Inspector General of Police to all State Commands to halt the use of force against protesters;
- Unconditional release of arrested protesters and citizens;
- Open communication and outreach to citizens to establish trust and confidence
- And a roadmap for the implementation of the White Paper of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the SARS.
Also, the Forum welcomed the proposal to set up an Independent Investigation Panel to look into the violations of human rights by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Nigerian Police.
The Forum agrees to the setting up of this Independent Panel by the National Human Rights Commission within the next one week.
An open call for Memoranda from members of the public whose rights have been violated by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Police will be released by the Commission within one week.
The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment.
The Forum resolves to set up the following Technical Sub-Committees to design an implementation roadmap and work plan for the implementation of the White Paper: Training, Capacity and Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure, Communications and Technology; Arrest, Detention, and Investigations; Regulations, Oversight and Accountability and Financing and Partnerships.’’
The communiqué stated that sub-Committees will be supported by the National Human Rights Commission and other civil society organisations.
Present at the meeting are: Dr Kole Shettima- MAC Arthur Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma – Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of OSIWA; Segun Awosanya(segalinks) – End Sars Movement; Yemi Adamolekun- Enough is Enough; Clément Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani- CISLAC; Kemi Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ – CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Prof Deji Adekunle –NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research & Policy; Dr Fatima Waziri – Rule of Law Adviser OVP and Abdulrahman Yakubu – NHRC Secretariat.
Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC secretariat; Halilu Adamu – NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh – NHRC secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh – PRAWA and Onyinye Ndubuisi – UNDP.
