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| IGP Ibrahim K. Idris |
By Adewole Kehinde
It is no longer news that the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad now known as Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad has
received the attention of the Presidency via a Presidential Directive.
Before the presidential directive,
it may interest the general public to know that IGP Ibrahim Idris has in
December 2017 commenced the overhaul of SARS by appointing a Commissioner of
Police to take charge of the new FSARS in the person of amiable CP Haliru
Gwandu, to be supervised DIG Habila Joshak, Deputy Inspector General of Police,
Operations Department at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
As part of the overhaul, the IGP
also directed that a FSARS Commander of the rank of Chief Superintendent of
Police (CSP) and not below Superintendent of Police (SP) will be in charge of
State and Zonal Commands of FSARS across the Country.
It may also interest the general
public especially the agitator of #EndSARS that the Committee on the Overhaul
of SARS has developed a new FSARS Organizational Policy Framework and
Operational Guidelines and Procedures has been shared with the officers for
strict compliance.
Also pending when a new outfit with
proper identification will be made available to the personnel of FSARS, the
FSARS operatives are to wear Police uniforms with full identification.
Aside the fact that FSARS
Operatives are to go through rigorous medical/psychological screening and Human
Rights protection orientation programmes and Processes, all new Police recruit
will also go through the same process henceforth.
At a stakeholder meeting held on Friday,
August 24, 2018, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris
represented by DIG Habila Joshak, Deputy Inspector General of Police,
Operations Department, along with Commissioner of Police Federal SARS, and DCP
Amaechi Elumelu in charge of the IGP’s X-Squad and others senior Officers where
the Media and the public were addressed on the progress made so far in the
overhaul of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, now known as FSARS.
The critical Stakeholders meeting
had in place Mr Segun Awosanya, Convener of #EndSARS and head of Universal
Institutional Reform Advocacy Foundation and Dr Femi Amosun, Professor Olu
Ogunsakin represented by Mr Ayo Omotade, Mr Asekome Oteiku, Director
Legal/Admin International Human Rights Protection, Ayo Akani and his Team from
Lincoln Carter Foundation and other key Stakeholders.
Addressing the gathering, DIG
Joshak Habila stressed that the overhaul of SARS was beyond rhetoric and real
reform was taking place. He noted among other things that Federal SARS
operatives had been ordered not to attend to civil or commercial matters again
but strictly look into Armed Robbery and Kidnapping cases only.
Also speaking at the stakeholder
meeting, the CP FSARS, CP Habiru Gwandu informed the gathering of the creation
of a Human Rights Desk in every States of the Federation to address cases of
infractions against members of the public by FSARS personnel anywhere in the
country in collaboration with other Human Rights organisations.
He went further to note that the
Police have involved the services of psychologists and counsellors in the
ongoing screening of FSARS operatives.
The head of IGP’s X-Squad, a unit
with the mandate of enforcing discipline in the Nigeria Police Force, DCP
Amaechi Elumelu stated that the screening and mobilization of FSARS operatives
would not be business as usual again, pointing out that anyone who would become
an operative would go through rigorous orientation, Human Rights training and
other screening processes that will includes the evaluation of their previous
records on Human Rights.
He announced the setting up of the
Custody Records Management System which will be unveiled by the Inspector
General of Police very soon. He explained that this system would contain the
records of arrests, detentions and welfare details of suspects, noting that
this system would discourage arbitrary arrest of people and ensure that
suspects are charged to court within 24 hours according to the law.
The man who spearheaded the #ENDSARS
campaign, Mr Segun Awosanya appreciated the President Buhari for the swift
action in ordering the overhaul of SARS, noting that the government was a
listening one. He called for trust between citizens and the Police noting that
“if it is well with the Police, it is well with the nation.”
He further said that he would be
giving all it takes to support the Police Force and promised to raise funds for
the overhaul of SARS now known as FSARS.
The Trust fund will be managed by
an independent body with regular auditing from reputable auditing firm.
I am using the opportunity to call
on the Presidency to make adequate fund available as the overhaul of FSARS will
only be effective when there is adequate funding to carry out
Medical/Psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel; new training program
to be organized by the Force in collaboration with some Civil Society
Organizations (CSOs), Local and International NGOs, and other Human Rights
Organizations on core Police Duties, Observant of Human Rights and Handling,
Care and Custody of Suspects; Redesigning of new uniform with identity name tag
for all FSARS personnel throughout the Country and establishment of Human Right
Desk across the 36 States and the FCT.
Adewole Kehinde is a Journalist
based in Abuja. 08054328498 – SMS Only; kennyadewole@gmail.com
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