The decision by the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Abubakar Adamu to replace the dreaded and outlawed Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) with Special Weapon and Tactics Team (SWAT) has continued to generate reactions from Nigerians.
While some respondents are of the view that the new initiative be given a trial, others contend that changing the name without reforming the entire police won’t change anything under the new arrangement.
In line with the demands of #ENDSARS protesters, the IGP announced SWAT as a replacement, and directed that all personnel of the banned squad must undergo medical and psychological tests to ascertain the state of the mental being ahead of their redeployment.
New outfit SWAT
Announcing the decision Tuesday in Abuja, the IGP said SWAT became necessary to fill the gap arising from the dissolution of SARS.
He also ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, for debriefing, psychological and medical evaluation.
Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) DCP Frank Mba quoted the IGP as saying this in a statement in Abuja.
He said the directive was in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020.
He said the officers were expected to undergo these processes as prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.
Mba said: “The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation, and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.”
“The Unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, public relations practitioners, civil society and other human rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.”
“Prospective members of this new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment. They are to commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.
“While personnel from the Police Commands in the South-east and the South-south will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers state, those from the Police Commands from the North and the South-west will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa state and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun state, respectively.
“While reaffirming his irrevocable commitment towards the successful and holistic implementation of the Police reforms, the IGP enjoins members of the public, particularly protesting citizens to exercise restraint and allow measures being put in place to come to fruition and engender a Police Force that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry.”
IGP to meet govs –Sanwo-Olu
Also, Lagos state Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has met with President Buhari and handed over the letter detailing the protesting youths’ demands to him.
The governor also said he met with the IGP prior to the SWAT pronouncement.
“Part of the take away for me is that all the governors are on the same page, we are having a governors’ forum meeting tomorrow. The IG will be briefing is at that meeting and further clear directives and decisions will be taken by all the governors.
I can tell you and all our youths out there that Mr. President has listened, your letter is documented, it has received attention and he has assured me that all of the things that you have said there he will see how he will begin to implement them almost immediately,” he said.
Panel okays protesters’ demands
And closely on the heel of the IGP’s pronouncement, the presidential panel on police reforms has approved the immediate implementation of the five-point demand of the #EndSARSprotesters.
A stakeholders’ meeting discussed the need to restore public confidence and trust in the police.
The meeting, organised by the Office of the Inspector General of Police and National Human Rights Commission, was a multi-stakeholders’ forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment industry and the #ENDSARS movement and development partners.
The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point demands of the protesters and the #ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the government.
A communiqué of stakeholders’ meeting on the implementation of the recommendations of the presidential panel on the reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) said: “Following the public protests regarding various forms of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the consequent disbandment of the unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, there arose the need for stakeholder engagement to build trust and restore public confidence in law enforcement.
“The agitations also brought to the fore, the need to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
“The Forum was addressed by the Inspector General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.
“The Forum collectively: welcomed the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Reaffirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and protest; Further affirmed the sanctity of life of every Nigerian and the role of the police in protecting this right; Affirms that the five-point demands of the protesters and the #ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the Government.”
In the communiqué signed by the IGP and Executive Secretary National Human Rights Commission Tony Ojukwu Esq, the forum noted that the dissolution of SARS presented an opportunity to embark on comprehensive reforms aimed at repositioning the Nigerian Police Force as a modern, responsive and citizens-centred law enforcement organisation.
“The Forum further notes that the proposed reforms should be anchored under the basis of the White Paper on the Report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad which was jointly authored by the National Human Rights Commission, the Federal Ministry of Justice, and the Nigeria Police Force.
“The Forum affirms that reform proposals for the Nigerian Police Force will be based on Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and existing legislations such as the Nigeria Police Act, 2020, the Nigeria Police Trust Fund Act, 2019, the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015 the Anti-Torture Act, 2017, and the National Human Rights Commission Act, 2010 amongst others.
“Following the dissolution of SARS, the Forum calls for the following immediate steps to be taken in restoring public confidence and trust in the Police: An order by the Inspector General of Police to all State Commands to halt the use of force against protesters; Unconditional release of arrested protesters and citizens; Open communication and outreach to citizens to establish trust and confidence and a roadmap for the implementation of the White Paper of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the SARS.
“The Forum welcomed the proposal to set up an Independent Investigation Panel to look into the violations of human rights by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Nigerian Police. The Forum agrees to the setting up of this Independent Panel by the National Human Rights Commission within the next one week. An open call for Memoranda from members of the public whose rights have been violated by the defunct SARS and other segments of the Police will be released by the Commission within one week.
“The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment. The Forum resolves to set up the following Technical Sub-Committees to design an implementation roadmap and work plan for the implementation of the White Paper: Training, Capacity and Re-orientation; Logistics: Infrastructure, Communications and Technology; Arrest, Detention, and Investigations; Regulations, Oversight and Accountability and Financing and Partnerships.’’
The communiqué stated that sub-committees would be supported by the NHRC and other CSOs.
Those who attended the meeting are: Dr Kole Shettima- MAC Arthur Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma – Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of OSIWA; Segun Awosanya(segalinks) – End Sars Movement; Yemi Adamolekun- Enough is Enough; Clément Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani- CISLAC; Kemi Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ – CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Professor Deji Adekunle –NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research & Policy; Dr Fatima Waziri – Rule of Law Adviser OVP and Abdulrahman Yakubu – NHRC Secretariat.
Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC secretariat; Halilu Adamu – NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh – NHRC secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh – PRAWA and Onyinye Ndubuisi – UNDP.
Reactions
Meanwhile, Nigerians from all walks of life reacted to the renaming of the disbanded SARS.
In his view, Director Praxis Centre; Convener Take Back Nigeria Movement and Co-convener Say No Campaign, Mr. Jaye Gaskia said “the implications of this is that SWAT is a phenomenon of brutality and abuse of human rights endemic within the security and defence sectors, and it is a product of systemic crisis compounded by institutional decay.”
He said the mandate of the Police is to prevent, detect, deter, and investigate crime; and to ensure the safety and security of citizens and residents, and their properties and businesses.
So the disbandment of FSARS and the establishment of the SWAT is within the purview of the police authority.
He said: “The question of brutality and abuse of human rights of citizens is not just an isolated FSARS phenomenon. The tendency and disposition towards brutality and the abuse of rights is inherent in the origin, nature and evolution of the police and policing, as well as of the other security and law enforcement agencies and the armed forces in general.
“This is why every unit and or task force of the police, security and law enforcement agencies and the armed forces that has to routinely interact and interface with citizens always tend to exhibit an ingrained tendency towards domination of citizens and are quick to brutalise citizens in the course of their actions.
“In the wider sense, it is also a manifestation of the nature and character of the state and of governance. The Nigerian state has evolved as an instrument of exploitation of the citizens, and has thus also evolved a repressive security and military apparatus to pacify citizens.
“What is required a total and complete radical reform of the security institutions as an integral part of a root and branch governance reform. Recruitment processes, training processes, deployment processes, operational processes, as well as the processes for equipping the police and security agencies and of provisioning their basic welfare needs have to be reformed in other to have the desired change.”
“The lesson for citizens is that a ruling class that depends on the exploitation of citizens and that is presiding over implementation of policies that are conducive to engendering endemic hardship among citizens, ultimately requires a repressive police and security and law enforcement agencies to pacify citizens, “ he said.
‘The police we want’
Similarly, Executive Director Peering Advocacy and Advancement Center and \ Convener Say No Campaign Nigeria, Mr. Ezenwa Nwagwu, said: “The condition and diagnosis of the current police is leprous, unfortunately we seem to be administering medication for eczema. Command and discipline collapsed long ago, senior officers are unable to rein in misbehaving juniors as most of them are complicit in unethical and unprofessional conduct.
“We desire a police service that is not colonial and tyrannical in orientation, one that puts the people at the center of civil policing provisioning, a police service that is well motivated, professional and ethical from bottom to top , police service that is for Nigerians and not in the service of evil, those in power or the powerful or their cronies.
“If the current orientation of impunity that runs through the police force subsists change will be illusory.”
CISLAC
In another reaction, Executive Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Auwal Musa Rafsanjani said setting up SWAT to replace SARS must come with complete positive changes in the manner of police operation.
He said: “Nigerians are asking for a positive response and accountable reform with professionalism and respect for human rights.
“The IG in his 5 steps had stated that former SARS operatives will be redeployed. If they are the ones redeployed to SWAT, then nothing has been done other than a waste of precious hope and expectation of Nigerians.
“On the directive of the IG requiring former SARS operatives to report to the Force Headquarters for debriefing, I think it is a good step because it shows the IG is acting on the five demands by citizens which this is one of them. However, the IG will have to convince citizens that this is truly happening. You know this is not the first time we are hearing pronouncements as regards SARS.
“In fact, this is about the fourth time in the last five years so citizens are justified for having doubts and the IG will need to be transparent on this. We will need evidence.
“Generally, the government needs to listen more to citizens because the #EndSARS movement has shown that citizens are ready to demand accountability and the days of being quiet are long gone.”
Reactions from social media
Also, a political analyst and journalist, Mr Bode Gbadebo, said on his Facebook page that the announcement was ill-timed.
“Announcing a new unit of the Police Force in the heat of EndSARS protests is ill-timed,” Gbadebo stated.
For Kemi Yusufu, she demanded for a change in attitude and not only change in name.
“The SARS to SWAT name change must come with a change in attitude.”
Another social critic, Marcus Fatunmole, said “I hope the rush to create SWAT will not worsen this show?”
Caution
While calling for caution on the part of angry Nigerians, another Facebook user, Bamidele Temitope Johnson, said the true picture of a Nigerian Police who respect the right of people would not come in a day.
“Imagine you’d have that in one day? I don’t see how being renamed SWAT stops the police from becoming an institution that respects rights. It’s a process, a slow one. It’s not what a conjurer does. it’s no instant coffee.
“Nothing is going to change in one day. It may not even change. But it will not be because of the name. I can’t claim it will not change because I’m not omniscient. But I’m fairly certain it is a long and slow process, given that we are raised in “do you know who I am” culture. It will be slow.”
