Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Police Reform

  • Gbajabiamila Meets NBA President over Police Brutality

    Gbajabiamila Meets NBA President over Police Brutality

    Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has met with the national leadership of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) led its President, Olumide Akpata, where he reaffirmed the lawmakers’ determination to come up with a piece of new legislation within 30 days towards addressing police brutality and other issues.

    Similarly, Akpata assured that his association would ensure a good collaboration with the House with a view to coming up with good legislations to address the matter.

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    The House had last week passed some far-reaching resolutions to address the issue of police brutality against Nigerians, one of which is to amend the constitution and come up with other legislation to curb the excesses of the police.

    Speaking during a courtesy call by NBA leadership to his office on Wednesday, Gbajabiamila said the provision of Section 215 (5) almost gives the police absolute immunity against their excesses, hence the need to amend that section.

    Gbajabiamila, who said the House could not do it alone, sought for the support of NBA to achieve its set goal on addressing police brutality.

    Speaker, House of Representatives receives President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Alapata ìn Abuja.

    “I want to use this opportunity to congratulate Nigerians out there, who have been part of this struggle, and I want to appeal at the same time that we should apply the brake, perhaps, a little and see what will be done.

    “In the House, before the protest, we made a statement. I made a statement on the floor of the House. We reached far-reaching resolutions. We’ve been very proactive on this issue. We’re determined to pursue the resolutions of the House forcefully, for want of a better word.

    “Our resolutions included that we discovered section 215 (5) almost gives absolute immunity to the police over what they do. So, for a start, we feel we should begin with amending the constitution and delete that offensive section.

    Speaker, House of Representatives receives President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Alapata ìn Abuja.

    “I believe it was well-intended but now it’s obnoxious. From that, we can raise any other reforms to look at the complaints from the public, from NBA, the civil societies etc.

    “We’re waiting for Inspector General of Police to send us the list of policemen that had complaints against them in the last five years. We’re also waiting for the list of the victims so that they can be compensated. We’re beginning the budget process, and we want to make sure that there’s a line item that ensures they’re compensated.

    “The resolutions also talked about police reform. We already passed the Police Reform Act, but we need to do more. We need to look at the conditions of service, etc.

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    “Suffice it to say that this House is determined to bring this to fruition. We gave ourselves 30 days to come up with a piece of legislation. We’re working assiduously to achieve the timeline we set for ourselves,” Gbajabiamila said.

    The Speaker announced that the House would raise an ad hoc panel that would interface with NBA on the issue of police brutality and others.

    Akpata had earlier told the Speaker that the visit was to discuss the issue of police brutality and see how the contentious issues could be addressed.

    Speaker, House of Representatives receives President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Olumide Alapata ìn Abuja.

    He expressed delight that the House was already doing a lot on the matter, saying Nigerians were eager to see how the matter would be resolved.

    “We at NBA are resolute to collaborate with you on the issues,” he said.

    Akpata raised the issue of some Nigerians being detained at different police stations unnecessarily, calling on the Speaker to intervene.

    Responding, Gbajabiamila told NBA president to identify all the police stations where people were detained for the House to raise a delegation that would meet with NBA and get them released.

    “I think you should identify the stations where people are being held. I will be more than happy to set up a crack team of members to go with you and pursue vigorously those issues. This should be part of the collaboration. We’ll expect your response on this,” Gbajabiamila said.

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    In a related development, the Speaker has also hosted the leadership of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) led by the Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu, where he raised the same issues relating to police brutality and what the House is doing about it.

    The Speaker also sought a partnership with the commission towards finding lasting solutions to human rights abuses.

    On his part, Ojukwu informed the Speaker that it was important to come up with an investigative panel that would consider the cases of human rights violations by the police and listen to victims of police brutality.

    Idowu Sowunmi

  • [Videos] #EndSARS: Thugs Allegedly Sponsored, Attack Peaceful protesters in Abuja

    [Videos] #EndSARS: Thugs Allegedly Sponsored, Attack Peaceful protesters in Abuja

    As the peaceful #EndSARs protest continued in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital on Wednesday morning, demonstrators were ambushed in an attack by thugs alleged to have been sponsored by actors against the agitations by Nigerian youths, which has now transformed into a movement demanding a shift from the status quo to accountability in the nation’s leadership.

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    According to eyewitnesses, the thugs were seen with sticks, cutlasses, and daggers attacking the peaceful protesters and destroying their cars, The Guardian reported.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGUwJZjjQIe/?igshid=66w3dn26537l

    “Someone had this(dagger) on his right hand with a cutlass, we had to run after him to remove the cutlass from his hand he almost struck one of our guys with this (dagger),” an eyewitness said on Tuesday.

    https://www.instagram.com/p/CGU27BCjbEK/?igshid=1pxq6o1g4u7g4

    “This is an exhibit, I am going hand it over to the security.”

    Nigerian youths took to the streets last week to protest against harrasement, extortion, extra-judicial killings and gross impunity perpetrated by men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), especially the notoriously perceived Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), a tactical unit of the state security agency that has now been disbanded by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, last Sunday.

    The protests have been holding in different parts of Nigeria with the demand for total reform of the nation’s police architecture.

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    Some of the crimes said to be committed by officers of the defunct SARS include execution of innocent citizens and suspects without trial, kidnapping for ransom, extortion and intimidation.

    Despite pronouncements by President Muhammadu Buhari and IGP Adamu on disbanding the SARS squad and promise of reforms, Nigerian youths are adamant and not yielding until there are concrete and convincing steps that true reforms have statretd.

    The mistrust is not far fetched as the Nigerian Government had in the past made empty promises on multiple occasions to reform SARS and make the squad more accountable.

    Tobiloba Kolawole

  • Buhari-led Government Approves 5for5 Demand of #EndSARS Protesters

    Buhari-led Government Approves 5for5 Demand of #EndSARS Protesters

    The Federal Government of Nigeria has on Tuesday approved the five-point, otherwise known as 5for5 demand of youths who have been protesting extortion, extra-judicial killings and brutality perpetrated by the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), especiay it’s notoriously perceived tactical unit, the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).

    The approval was made known by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, who disclosed this in a statement titled, ‘Presidential panel on police reforms swings into action, plays 5-point demand of protesters.

    Adesina said the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad has approved the five-point demands put forward by youths that have been protesting across the country.

    He said following directives by President Muhammadu Buhari, on the dissolution of SARS, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, convened a meeting with stakeholders, agreeing to meet demands.

    He said the demands acceded to included halting use of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens.

    According to the presidential spokesman, the meeting, organised by the Office of the Inspector General of Police and National Human Rights Commission, was a multi-stakeholders’ forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment industry and the #EndSARS movement and development partners.

    He said the Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point demands of the protesters and the #EndSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the government.

    He quoted a communiqué of the meeting signed by the IGP and Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu, as, “Following the public protests regarding various forms of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and the consequent disbandment of the unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, there arose the need for stakeholder engagement to build trust and restore public confidence in law enforcement.

    “The agitations also brought to the fore, the need to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

    “The Forum was addressed by the Inspector General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.

    “The Forum collectively: welcomed the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; reaffirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and protest; further affirmed the sanctity of life of every Nigerian and the role of the Police in protecting this right; affirms that the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the government.’’

    Adesina added that the forum noted that the dissolution of SARS presents an opportunity to embark on comprehensive reforms aimed at repositioning the Nigerian Police Force as a modern, responsive and citizens-centred law enforcement organisation.