Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari has received a report by the Presidential Panel on the supposed violations by personnel of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The panel was constituted after a public outcry in the wake of media reports suggesting egregious abuse on civilians ostensibly by officers and men of SARS.
Receiving the report on Monday Buhari said: “Reforming and repositioning the Nigeria Police Force to be more effective and efficient in safeguarding lives and properties, apprehending offenders and generally improving the internal security of our nation in line with our laws and international best practices has been one of the major policies of this administration”.
The Nigerian leader said in order to reposition the national police to effectively carry out its statutory responsibilities, he has taken major steps including increasing its workforce as well as improving the welfare of officers, given that they put their lives on the front line on a daily basis so that the rest of the country may freely go about their business in safety.
“However, in carrying out their statutory responsibilities, the Police must at all times act within the ambit of the law and must not violate the fundamental human rights of Nigerians whom they have sworn to protect’’ he added.
He said that the government has a responsibility to ensure that the rights of Nigerians were not violated by Police Officers while discharging their functions.
The president said that police officers would be held accountable where human rights were violated.
Buhari early this year directed the National Human Rights Commission to constitute the panel’s membership in order to investigate the various public outcries and media reports alleging human rights violations against citizens by officers of SARS.
The panel was empowered to make appropriate recommendations not just for holding police officers found wanting accountable, but also, on ways SARS and by extension, the Nigerian police could be generally reformed.
MM/as/APA