By Williams Anuku, Abuja
A Civil Society Organisation, Activists for Good Governance (AGG), has described the renaming of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to Special Weapon and Tactics Team (SWAT), as a poorly conceived approach to solving the problems confronting the country’s police force.
Co-Convener of the Group, Comrade Gbenga Soloki queried on Friday, “Who are the people to serve in SWAT? Will they be imported from another planet?
“Our worry is also that the time appears short for due diligence to be conducted as part of the process leading to the setting up of the new outfit. We just don’t want a change in name but a complete reform of the standard operating procedure of the new crime-busting outfit and indeed the Nigerian Police,” Soloki said.
While appreciating the prompt response of the Federal Government to the demands by the citizens for the disbandment of SARS, the group maintained that it was not enough to end SARS, “a total reformation of the Nigerian Police Force is what we demand.
“The new outfit should be well structured, equipped and premium attention paid to professionalism over any other primordial interests in recruitment, training, and promotion.”
The AGG, however, hereby demand an immediate end to all forms of police brutality by officers and men of the Nigerian Police across different formations and units regardless of the names they are called.
“We demand the immediate empaneling of a Judicial Commission of Inquiry into how the operations of the disbanded SARS descended into raw criminality by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We cannot gloss over the atrocities committed by the operatives of the outlawed unit of the Nigerian Police. Those who are found to have committed crimes must be prosecuted and brought to justice.
“The Activists for Good Governance (AGG) appreciates the resilience as well as the unwavering determination of the Nigerian youth to end police brutality as represented by the #EndSARS campaign. However, we appeal for caution so as not to play into the hands of other fifth columnists. Violence will derail and make a mess of the legitimate demands of the people.
“Those who would want to use the protests to foment trouble should be identified and exposed. We appeal to the protesting youth not to prevent other innocent Nigerians from going about their normal businesses. This is not a protest against fellow Nigerians,” Soloki added.
