Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has yesterday apologized to the youths protesting against brutality and extortion by operatives of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) across the country. Osinbajo who issued a statement last night revealed that the government has already swung into action that will squarely address the police problem in the land that was long overdue, especially their training, welfare, and condition of service.
Following the agitation of #EndSARS by the Nigerian youth, the Nigerian police have swung into action through demoting some and dismissing others of its airing officers.
The Police Service Commission (PSC) is expected to order prosecution of 24 other ex-SARS operatives who were accused of committing various offenses. Accordingly, names and service numbers of the reprimanded and dismissed officers were made public today by the commission as follows;
The Joint House of Representatives Committees on Justice, Human Right and Police Affairs, mandated to investigate the alleged extra-judicial killing and police brutality, says the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been invited to appear before it on Thursday, October 22. The joint committee also provided two WhatsApp contacts and an email address for victims of police brutality to forward their complains and experiences. The Chairman of the joint committees, Rep. Ugonna Ozurigbo, made this known while addressing journalists on Thursday in Abuja. He said that the IGP is expected to appear and answer questions relating to the activities of men and officers of the institution. Ozurigbo recalled that as a result of the public outrage on the incessant protest on the alleged brutality, the House, on October 7, 2020, set up the joint committee.
A group of hackers identified as 'Anonymous' hacked the Twitter account of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Friday in an apparent support for the ongoing #EndSARS protests. The hackers who displayed support for the protests on the hacked NBC account also put up a message threatening to reveal secrets of Nigerian authorities. The website was also not opening as at 9:25 am.
The Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Mohammed A. Adamu, has strongly cautioned all Police Officers across Nigeria to refrain from the use of force on peaceful protesters. In a communique released on Thursday and signed by the force spokesperson DCP Frank Mba, the IGP noted that citizens have fundamental rights of freedom of expression, assembly, and movement which must always be upheld and protected by the police. Adamu however appealed to protesters to continually conduct themselves peacefully and ensure they are not infiltrated by criminal elements who may want to highjack the protest to perpetrate violence.
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Security Committee has placed a ban on all #EndSARS protests in Abuja, FCT. This was disclosed in a statement by Mr. Anthony Ogunleye, the Chief Press Secretary to the minister of FCT, Mohammed Bello.
