The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has revealed that it obtained assurances from the Police Service Commission (PSC) to take disciplinary actions against personnel of the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force who were implicated by the Presidential Panel set up to investigate various allegations of gross human rights violation following the EndSARS protest in 2020
The Executive Secretary of the NHRC, Prof. Anthony Okechukwu Ojukwu, made this announcement during the formal launch of the Research Report on the #EndSARS judicial panel. The event was organized by the non-governmental organization Enough is Enough (EiE), the NHRC, and other partners.
The Presidential Panel on SARS had recommended to the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) at the time and the PSC to either prosecute those implicated or initiate disciplinary actions against them within the authority of the Police Service Commission.
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Ojukwu said the commission in collaboration with the EiE, launched the #EndSARS Judicial Panel Review Report to also commemorate the 2020 EndSARS protest in the country in which many Nigerians lost their lives due to alleged forms of violation by security operatives.
The NHRC boss lamented that the Presidential Panel which was set up under the directive of then acting president, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, and conducted in 29 states of the federation including the FCT had been met with lots of challenges including lack of political will on the part of the elites, impunity by some alleged culprits who use their position to disregard summons by the panel.
While urging the panels that sat in various states of the federation and have not submitted their reports as well as pay compensations to victims to act accordingly by submitting their report, Ojukwu said the panel that sat in Abuja has paid N431, 884,094 as compensation to 100 victims of police brutality.
“I am happy to announce that just last week we got a letter from the Police Service Commission, reassuring the commission that they are taking steps to make sure that appropriate disciplinary actions are taken against those who have been indicted by the panel for gross human rights violation and abuse of office.
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“Also today, the EiE has taken the giant step to conduct this judicial review and compile the report which we are going to launch here today. We are also using this activity to commemorate the 2020 EndSARS protest in Nigeria,” Ojukwu said.
The Executive Director of Enough is Enough (EiE), Yemi Adamolekun, said the 42-page report, among others, urged the federal government to facilitate the implementation of the recommendations of the States’ Judicial Panels of Inquiry into Police Brutality as a matter of national policy.
She also called for the immediate release of the not less than 20 #EndSARS protesters still in detention across the country.
