The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) Monday submitted the report of the Presidential Investigation Panel on allegations of human rights violations against the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) for implementation.
The voluminous report among other things, contain indictment of 35 policemen who served under the disbanded SARS, which the Commission expects the AGF to consider their prosecution in accordance with the law.
The Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu told the AGF that the submission of the report to the AGF is a gratifying point to the Commission which went round the six geopolitical zones of the country to listen to various complaints by Nigerians against the then SARS and “there were discoveries and all were encapsulated in the report”.
In his response, the AGF who formally received the report said that government will implement the report in such a way that justice will be served to all the parties concerned adding that, “justice is not a one-way traffic”.
According to the AGF, “We have a mandate to establish a constitutional order”, where the welfare and peaceful co-existence of citizens are prioritised against personal or group interest.
He said the current administration had in the past put modalities in place to give the Police the support they need to improve their welfare and do their work professionally.
He recalled that Police Act 2020 has provided answers to the various problems affecting the Police force, including their operations and welfare as captured in the Police Trust Fund.
The Chief Law Officer of the Federation restated that the federal government had been mindful of the totality of the interest, welfare, security and well-being of all citizens before the current agitations to reform the Police force, adding that government will continue to ensure the security and welfare of all citizens.
