Tochukwu Chukwu
“SARS SHOULD BE PERSONALLY LIABLE FOR THEIR ILLEGAL ACTS AND BRUTALITY”
The Deputy Minority leader, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Toby Okechukwu has enjoined the Federal government to Stop the abuse of human rights of Nigerian citizens, by the Special Anti-robbery squad (SARS) of the Nigerian police force.
While Supporting the motion Sponsored by Majority Leader of the House, Okechukwu made the call, saying that Several Nigerians have been Placed Six feet under the ground, from the Terror melted by this Special Squad.
The motion was titled “Motion on the need to put a stop to human right abuses of the Special Anti-robbery squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police.”
Recently, the SARS has incessantly and illegally caused Nigerians Havoc, dettering the exercise of their civil rights of freedom of movement and speech.
The Social media is buzzing with the #endsars Campaign, which might possible lead to a physical protest.
The Rep, painstakingly listed a number of Dead Nigerians due to SARS brutality, they include:
Ifeoma Abugu, Kingsley Tariwa, Daniel Ikeabuchi Chibuike, Kolade Johnson, Temiu Kazain and others.
Continuing, he outlined most of the Support rendered to the Nigerian Police force, in a bid to encourage their efforts in keeping Nigerians safe.
Okechukwu said, “our Citizens are hurting, we elected as a country the Nigerian Police Force, with their sole responsibility to protect Nigerians and not be a Menace.
As it is Nigerians Can’t Breathe, We had the George Floyd Situation in The USA, but Six feet down in this country are a very good Number of Nigerians who cannot breathe anymore.
We have done as enabled by our laws to do our best to Support the Nigerian Police, less than a month ago, we amended the police Act to give them the necessary enablement, to aide them carry out their duties, this parliament also passed the Police trust Fund and today they are supposed to enjoy 1% support, from taxpayers money.
And what we reap from doing our duty is to have them be a Menace to the citizens. Nothing in our constitution, International Protocol, in their training should warrant the police officers to acoust our Citizens without hindrance.
As a matter of fact, SARS presupposes Anti-robbery squad, I do not know how this proposes the searching of Telephones of members of public, searching their laptops.
We have Police in various parts of this country with State Command, this undue centralization, is hurting. That is why we want some restructuring of the police, even when they are not restructuring immediately, why can’t they face their state Command’s Structure, So that people don’t begin to behave above the law.
As a matter of fact, we have had situations where citizens of this country has canvassed for the ban of SARS, but each moment, with the pacification of the citizens, the Squad reinforces their illegal actions, to the detriment of the Citizens.
I do not think that the Inspector General of Police will ask them to perform such Illegal actions, I do not think that there is any command that will warrant them to put citizens six feets down under the soil, to get them buried. The Citizens of this country can not breathe, Mr. Speaker, they have to be held liable, Personally liable for the actions they take.
This is not a matter of dismissing from the police, the highest sanction that can be meeted to a police officer is to have him dismissed from the Force, and to what extent does that compensate the killing of Nigerians for no reason whatsoever. Unless there’s a specific report relating to armed robbery, there is no reason why SARS should stop a citizen and searching his Phones and laptop, not in a country of laws, we have a functional constitution that guides us.”, he concluded.
Chisom Orjiogbu
