Human Rights Abuses: NHRC To Hold Public Hearing On SARS Reform, Invites CHRSJ  

Nigerians in Protest over abuses by SARS, recently

 

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) would hold a 5-day public hearing in Lagos on human rights abuses by police personnel across the country .

According to a letter with file number NHRC/PSARS/2018/OG/4 dated November dated November 1 and signed by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Mr. Anthony Okechukwu, the Commission will open the enquiry on Tuesday 13 until Saturday 17 at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, Lagos.

Ojukwu stated that the event is expected to address all the petitions against police personnel across the six states making up the South West zone.

The Commission invited the Executive Chairman of the Centre for Human Rights and Social Justice (CHRSJ), Comrade Adeniyi, A Sulaiman to attend public hearings.

For the CHRSJ, it would be an opportunity to present its case on behalf of one Sunday Adetiba and family against FSARS, Magbon, Abeokuta, the Ogun State Command of the Nigeria Police Force and the Inspector-General of Police.

The rights group had in the past written a petition to the Commission over the plight of Adetiba who had been wounded by operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Magbon, Abeokuta after having been detained illegally for months before his eventual release by the court.

In his reaction, Sulaiman expressed his desire to personally attend the events, adding stated that the event would provide the group the opportunity to prove the veracity of all petitions that have been forwarded to the commission cataloguing the series of abuses against Nigerians by men of the Nigeria Police Force.

“We are very happy that the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has given us the opportunity to prove the veracity of all the allegations we have made against operatives of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), particularly those attached to the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abeokuta, Ogun State. We are also going to highlight the nefarious activities of SARS operatives in Osun and Lagos states who have been terrorizing innocent citizens of their respective states where they are operating in.” Sulaiman stated.

Commenting further, he stated that “Apart from the case of Sunday Adetiba against officers, Ogedengbe and Wole of the FSARS in Magbon, Abeokuta. We also have some other officers in other South West states such as Osun and Lagos states where right abuses have taken place.”

He also stated that some other officers attached to FSARS in Abeokuta have also been identified as breaching the ethics of their profession and those that have been petitioned are Swagger, Raufu, Bullet and Tee Jay.

He stated that in Osun State, the group has reported some police officers, namely Sunday Olooto, Fatai Raji and one other simply known as Saka whose nickname is said to be team leader to the commission for necessary action.

“In Lagos, we have reported an officer who is simply known as Success Pilot who fired gunshot on two innocent citizens, Henry Palmer and Isaiah Olagunju whom he later sent to jail over frivolous and trumped up allegations that he leveled against them on Monday 22nd of May, 2017. Till today, these innocent citizens are still languishing in prison.

“We also have issues with one officer Lanre attached to Sango Police Area Command, who lied against one Joshua Chibogu whom he tortured extra-judicially on Saturday 23rd, September, 2017 before the group secured his release.” He said.

He expressed the resolve of the group to substantiate its claims against the police personnel.