#EndSars – Mr. Ibrahim Idris the Inspector-General of the Nigeria Police Force has ordered members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to wear proper police uniforms with full identification until the new FSARS uniform is produced for the operatives.
This information was revealed in a statement issued by the IG through the Police spokesperson, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Jimoh Moshood, in Abuja during a meeting with critical stakeholders.
While the IG was represented in that meeting by the Deputy Inspector-General of police in Charge of Operations, Mr Habila Joshak. The meeting was convened to brief the various stakeholders on the progress made so far in the overhaul of the SARS now known as Federal SARS.
During the meeting the Police boss re-affirmed that the overhaul of SARS was not just words as strategic reforms were being implemented across all SARS command in the country as directed by the Presidency.
He also revealed that the FSARS operatives had been ordered to desist from attending to civil or commercial matters henceforth and focus strictly on armed robbery and kidnapping cases only.
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Asides from the directive to put on proper Police uniform for easy identification, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Mr Habiru Gwandu, also informed the meeting that a human rights desk had been created in the 36 states of the federation including FCT.
He said that the desks would address cases of infractions against members of the public by FSARS personnel across all command zones in the country while the Police have also engaged the services of psychologists and counsellors in the ongoing mental health evaluation of FSARS operatives.
While confirming the massive reforms taking place within the Police, the DCP in charge of the I-G’s X-Squad, Amaechi Elumelu, also revealed that the screening and mobilization of FSARS Operatives would not be business as usual.
FSARS operatives will now have to undergo rigorous scrutiny, orientation and training which will include human rights training amongst others.
He also revealed that a Custody Records Management System that will contain the records of arrests, detentions and welfare details of suspects will soon be unveiled by the Inspector-General.
This new system is expected to curb the arbitrary arrest of people and ensure that suspects are charged to court within 24 hours, in compliance with the law.
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