DAILY TRUST, Thursday, October 15, 2020 OPINION 16 Like us on follow us on Twitter: Facebook.com/dailytrust @daily_trust opinion@dailytrust.com e-mail SARS dissolution: A test of government’s responsiveness? By Chijioke Okoronkwo, be thoroughly investigated. “Meanwhile, it is important to recognise that the vast majority of men and women of the police force are hardworking and diligent in performing their duties,” the president said. Osinbajo, on his part, said that there was a clear message of the government’s commitment to ensuring reforms. He said that those who had committed wrongful acts would be duly investigated and prosecuted. “And that whatever replaces SARS is something that is acceptable, and complies with all tenets of the rule of law. “I think these are deep issues that we are all concerned about; I don’t think one person is more concerned than others. “I think it is a good moment for the police force and for all of us to try and reform the police; we are all committed to it,’’ he said. In his reaction, Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State described the dissolution of SARS as a welcome development. Sharing similar sentiments, Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said that the dissolution of SARS by the I-G was a victory for Nigerian youths. Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, Senate Chief Whip, Orji Uzor Kalu have all backed the dissolution of SARS. More so, the Voice of Nigeria Youths (VONY), a youth group, applauded Buhari, Osinbajo and the I-G on the dissolution of SARS. The group’s founder, Temilade Okesanjo, congratulated Nigerian youths for lending their voices online and offline to the need to #ENDSARS and reform the Nigerian Police Force agitation. Nonetheless, some protesters, while appreciating the government’s responsiveness, say more pragmatic steps were needed to soothe their anger. They demand the immediate release of all arrested protesters; justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families; setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of police misconduct within 10 days. Also, the protesters demand that in line with the new police act, psychological evaluation and retraining of all disbanded SARS, should be carried out before redeployment. They also demanded higher pay for police officers and equipping the police adequately to boost the protection of lives and property of citizens. Perceptive observers say that the government has been reasonably responsive in handling the issue. They hold that investigating and bringing to book all ex-SARS operatives involved in extrajudicial killings and other human rights abuses will go a long way in smothering the flames in the streets. on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct and ensure that the police are fully accountable to the people. “The I-G already has my firm instructions to conclusively address the concerns of Nigerians regarding these excesses, and ensure erring personnel are brought to justice. “I appeal for patience and calm; even as Nigerians freely exercise their right to peacefully make their views known.’’ On Oct. 11, as the protests raged and neared crescendo, Nigerians got pacifying news from the I-G; he announced the dissolution of SARS across police commands in the country. Adamu said that the dissolution was in response to the yearnings of Nigerians. He said that by the disbandment, all officers and men of the defunct SARS would be redeployed. The I-G said that the force was mindful of the need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country, which was the core mandate of the erstwhile squad. Adamu said that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps by the dissolution of SARS had evolved and would be announced in due course. “As part of measures to prevent a recurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS, a ‘Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum’ is being formed.’’ He said the forum would regularly interface with police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public. “In addition, the force is constituting an Investigation Team, which shall include civil society organisations and human rights bodies to work with the police in investigating alleged cases of human rights violations,’’ Adamu said. The Inspector-General commended Nigerians, who genuinely expressed their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organised, patriotic and civil manner. The dissolution of the unit has elicited reactions from the president, vice president, governors and other notable Nigerians even as protests remained active in some areas. Buhari said that the disbanding of SARS was the first step to extensive police reforms by his administration and directed that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongful acts be brought to justice. “The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people. “We will also ensure that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongful acts are brought to justice. “We deeply regret the loss of life of the young man in Oyo State during the recent demonstrations. “I have directed that the circumstances of his death should O n Oct. 8, a wave of protests against the Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force erupted in many cities across the country. The protests were triggered by a video trending online showing a young man allegedly shot by SARS operatives at Ughelli, Delta; an allegation the police denied. The predominantly young remonstrators with the hashtag #ENDSARS sought the dissolution of the unit and an end to police brutality. By most accounts, the protests seemed to have been accentuated by resentments built up by previous and recent alleged incidents of extra-judicial killings, harassment and extortion on citizens by SARS operatives. Worthy of note, before the situation snowballed into street protests, the federal government had waded in with a view to finding a lasting and assuaging solution. On Oct. 4, at the directive of President Muhammadu Buhari, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo met with the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, at his residence over concerns on the activities of SARS. Adamu was prompted to ban SARS, other tactical squads from undertaking routine patrols as well as stop and search duties. The vice president said he was concerned and angry that young men and women, who were arrested, were in some cases, maimed or killed by men of the Nigeria Police Force. He said that the president was displeased about reports on activities of SARS and resolved to ensure reforms. “Such violations are completely unacceptable because these are individuals who are meant to protect Nigerians. “The arrests, maiming or killings of young people or anyone at all, is completely wrong. “The president is very concerned about it; he wants to see a reform.’’ Again, on Oct. 10, Osinbajo met with the 1-G, Director-General, Department of State Services(DSS), Yusuf Bichi and Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), Tony Ojukwu, to determine the next steps toward addressing concerns of Nigerians on the excesses of SARS. The vice president and the I-G afterward briefed Buhari who gave further directives to the I-G on the matter. Buhari said he was being briefed regularly on the reform efforts aimed at ending police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the police are fully accountable to the people. The president urged all citizens to show more understanding and patience as the government would continue to do its best in protecting the lives and property of Nigerians. “I met again with the I-G tonight; our determination to reform the police should never be in doubt. “I am being briefed regularly he issue of delayed retirement benefits for retired judges and other judicial staff reared its head recently in Kogi State when the former Grand Khadi of the state’s Sharia Court of Appeal, Justice Zakaria Idakwoji Mohammed, called on Governor Yahaya Bello to pay such outstanding benefits to all the deserving in the state. Justice Mohammed made the appeal while speaking at the special valedictory court session in honour of deceased and retired judicial officers of the state judiciary in Lokoja recently. Citing himself as an example, the retired judge said he had retired from active service since 2018 but was yet to receive his benefits. Pleading specifically for the families of dead judicial officers, who had been left in a financial quandary, Mohammed reminded the Kogi State governor of the untold suffering they must be going through. With the death of their breadwinners, the families were left suffering. Mohammed also noted that the situation was not peculiar to judicial officers but also affected several other public officers who had served Kogi State meritoriously. He appealed to the state governor to demonstrate magnanimity in facilitating the payment of due retirement benefits to the affected judicial officers. Incidentally even before the appeal by Grand Khadi Mohammed, the Director -General of the Kogi State Pension Reform Commission (KPRC), Hajia Mariam Ozioma Abedo had given assurance that the state government was evolving a new strategy for resolving the pension crisis, just as the state enacted a law on the implementation of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS). Sadly, the Kogi State instance, which Justice Mohammed cited, mirrors similar developments in Plateau and Akwa Ibom states with a twist in the Akwa Ibom case where the affected judge took the state government to court. Against the backdrop of the foregoing, it is clear that a new wave of discontent is brewing among even judicial officers, who ordinarily are sedate over matters of personal welfare. While government indebtedness to judiciary pensioners has been a thorny issue in Kogi state, it represents just the tip of the iceberg of its indebtedness to civil servants of various cadres. In fact, not only are pensions and gratuity owed the public servants, even salaries do not fare better. Be that as it may, the issue of pensions and gratuity remains more critical for the fact that they are terminal benefit for officers who had left the service, and, therefore, remains their lawful rights as provided for by law. By virtue of their calling as judicial officers, judges are servants in the temple of justice where pronouncements and judgments are expected to draw from the impartiality and impersonality of the cold dictates of the law. It is for this same reason that during their career runs on the bench, are ensconced from the routine runs of social life in order to insulate them from mingling in a compromising manner with the rest of society. By denying them of their rights to pension and gratuity and thereby exposing them, undeservingly, to financial embarrassment, these officers in their cadre are likely to be exposed to the temptation to ingratiate themselves with illicit inducements. Besides, viewing the situation on a higher moral ground, it remains indefensible for a state governor to deny any worker of his or her retirement benefits when the same governor avails himself with jumbo severance packages just for occupying the position of state chief executives. Given that virtually every religion in the country upholds the sanctity of due compensation for the worker, governors in Nigeria remain duty-bound to prioritise the payment of all due benefits to any designated beneficiary. NURA DAURA: NAZIRU MIKAILU: HAMZA IDRIS: AHMED SHEKARAU: Ag Chief Executive Officer Executive Director/Editor-in-Chief Editor, Daily Trust General Manager, Business & Strategy (NANFeatures)