The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Ibrahim Idris, has warned personnel of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) against unprofessional conduct.
The I-G gave the warning hours after he denied involvement of police officers in rights violation.
Former detainees had told Amnesty International they had been subjected to horrific torture methods, including hanging, starvation, beatings, shootings and mock executions, at the hands of corrupt officers from the feared Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“A police unit created to protect the people has instead become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption,” said Damian Ugwu,Amnesty International’s Nigeria researcher.
“Our research has uncovered a pattern of ruthless human rights violations where victims are arrested and tortured until they either make a ‘confession’ or pay officers a bribe to be released.”
Amnesty International said it received reports from lawyers, human rights defenders and journalists and collected testimonies, stating that some police officers in SARS regularly demand bribes, steal and extort money from criminal suspects and their families.
“SARS officers are getting rich through their brutality. In Nigeria, it seems that torture is a lucrative business,” said Damian Ugwu.
AI added that SARS detainees are held in a variety of locations, including a grim detention centre in Abuja known as the ‘Abattoir’, where Amnesty International found 130 detainees living in overcrowded cells.
Speaking on Thursday, Idris at a meeting with SARS commanders in Abuja, told the operatives to correct the erroneous impression about the unit.
“You have to correct this impression .This is a new beginning to give the nation a new anti-robbery squad.
“You don’t have the right to take life of anybody or change civil offence to criminal offence.
“Please don’t fail us. This management has the hope in you, I don’t want you (SARS) to fail us,“he said.
He said that the new SARS should be an advocate of the new Change Mantra of the present administration.
Idris said that the human rights groups would be involved in the training of SARS operatives, adding that an intelligent unit would be created for the unit.
“We are going to retrain you even as you work in your different zones.
“You should have the courage to tackle what is against human nature,“he said.
He said that every SARS unit would be under the command structure of the police commissioners in the states, except the FCT.
Idris also warned them against mounting road blocks as it remained banned.
“They will be redeployed periodically when there is security reports,“he said.
The police boss said SARS had a great role to play in the security of the country.
He urged the media to request for a visit to the various detention facilities and make their report.
He said that it was illegal for any police personnel to shoot into the air and cause panic in the community.
The I-G urged police officers to develop good working relationship with people in their various communities.
Responding, the Commissioner of Police in charge of Federal SARS, Mr Dibal Yakadi, assured of the readiness of his men to operate within the confines of the laws.
“We will not disappoint you; we will work round the clock to restore the lost confidence, we will continue to talk to our men,“he said.
NAN report that the Amnesty International had alleged in its report that SARS systematically tortured detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes.(NAN)
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