Initiate genuine police reform, Amnesty Int’l tells FG

Amnesty International Nigeria yesterday urged the Federal Government to ensure genuine reformation of the Nigeria Police Force in order to douse tension in the country.

The organization, through its spokesman, Isa Sanusi, was reacting to the replacement of the Federal Special AntiRobbery Squad with a new unit SWAT announced by the Inspector-General of Police on Tuesday.

Sanusi quoted the organisation’s director, Osai Ojigho, to have said the aims and objectives of the new unit might not be achieved if the same personnel were injected to it.

The statement partly read: “Over the past five years, the Federal Government has promised to reform SARS several times. Despite these pledges of reform and accountability for violations, Amnesty International’s report shows that SARS officers continue to commit human rights violations with impunity.

“Anyone suspected to be responsible must be brought to justice in fair trials. Law enforcement officials must comply at all times with international human rights standards on policing, in particular the UN Code of Conduct for Law Enforcement Officials and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, and in particular must respect, protect and ensure the rights to life, liberty, personal security and physical integrity and to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.

“We call on the Nigerian authorities to listen to the demands of their people and promptly, thoroughly, impartially, effectively and transparently investigate all cases of human rights violations by the police, including the unlawful killings of the #EndSARS protesters.”