Following the Inspector General of Police’s ban on routine patrol across the country, the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr. Ojukwu, has commended the IGP, Mohammed Adamu, for the bold step.
Ojukwu said the police chief’s order was in line with the NHRC’s recommendations following its report on the Presidential Investigation Panel on allegations of human rights violations against SARS.
The NHRC boss made the remarks while reacting to the recent ban of SARS and other special teams of the Nigerian Police from routine patrol duties saying this is not the first time such a proclamation is made by the Police hierarchy and that compliance to such orders has remained a problem.
“It is hoped that this time the directive which is expected to preserve and protect the rights to privacy and dignity of the human person from atrocious acts of some bad eggs in the Nigeria Police will be enforced to the fullest”, Ojukwu added.
In a statement by Fatimah Agwai Mohammed, Assistant Director, Public Affairs, on Tuesday, Ojukwu was quoted to have lamented that “reported cases of human rights violations against the Police is assuming an alarming proportion and must be curtailed so as to rekindle people’s confidence in the ability of the Police to maintain peace and orderliness in the society, as well as protect their lives and property.”
According to him, the Commission has continued to record cases of extra-judicial killings, series of extortion, harassment, and intimidation of innocent citizens by FSARS without much being done to change the status quo, thereby tarnishing the image of the country among the global community.
