By Mike ALADENIKA.
THE thirty-six state governors under the aegis of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, NGF have thrown their weights behind the scrapping of the notorious Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu following instructions from President Muhammadu Buhari.
The Governors who unanimously supported the Inspector General of Police for disbanding SARS, however endorsed plans by the Police top echelon to carry out far-reaching reforms geared towards greater effectiveness, accountability and transparency, just as they callled for increased regularity in the meetings of the Nigeria Police Council in order for it to effectively carry out its regulatory and supervisory roles in line with the 1999 Constitution as amended.
The Governors have also stressed that Policing in Nigeria must ensure freedom for all Nigerians to carry out their lawful and legitimate businesses anywhere in the country without fear of harassment, intimidation or molestation.
According to the Governors, the IGP must as a matter of urgency, fish out all police officers who participated in the abuse or actions that might have led to injury or the death of innocent citizens, with a view to bringing them to book and that other Nigerians who have been adversely affected by police brutality or other actions that were injurious to them or their loved ones, should be compensated.
They resolved that each State will set up a panel for compensation to all victims and see to it that the necessary compensation is made to those who deserve them.
Rising from the 19th Teleconference Meeting, the Governors have however kicked against the establishment of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team, arguing that the timing is inauspicious against the backdrop that the mood of the nation negates it and may understandably be misinterpreted as a surreptitious move to dress FSARS in another garb.
In a Communique signed by the NGF Chairman and Ekiti State governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi , the Governors have called on the IGP to as matter of urgency, convene a meeting of all stakeholders and agree on a format of engagement with all State officials in order to address concerns.
They have also resolved that State leadership should meet simultaneously nationwide, to address matters arising, even as they emphasized that reforms must include the training and retraining of operatives on the rules of engagement with the general public, adding that throughout the reform process, the room for consultation may include sessions and direct feedback from the public, stressing that there is no single solution that applies to all the 36 States of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.
The ommunique read, “Governors were unanimous in their support for the IGP and endorsed his plan to carry out far-reaching reforms geared towards greater effectiveness, accountability and transparency; Members called for increased regularity in the meetings of the Nigeria Police Council in order for it to effectively carry out its regulatory and supervisory roles as contained in the Nigerian Constitution.
“On the IGP’s plan to create SWAT, Governors stated that even though the effort might be necessary and in good faith, they argued that the timing is inauspicious as the mood of the nation negates it and may understandably be misinterpreted as a surreptitious move to dress FSARS in another garb.
Meanwhile, governors of states in the Northern part of Nigeria are reported to have rejected the total disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Unconfirmed reports say the Chairman, Northern Governors Forum and Plateau state governor, Simon Lalong, disclosed this to journalists after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja on Thursday.
Lalong said the defunct police unit had been useful in the fight against insecurity in the region.
According to him, "SARS was not made up of bad elements alone as it also included personnel doing their work diligently."
He said "what was needed was the reformation of the unit to enable it to discharge its functions optimally.
Lalong, however, acknowledged that there were divisions in the country concerning the continued existence of the unit."
If the two lines of divide between the Nigerian Governor's Forum and the Northern Governors' Forum is anything to go by, it implies that the last is yet to be heard about the stake on the scraping and reorganization of the SARS unit of the police force.
#SPARKNEWSNAIJA(SNN).
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