Ex Ebonyi Lawmaker Urges President Buhari to Probe SARS

A former House of Representatives member, Chief Linus Okorie, has described the scrapping and re-deployment of men of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the Nigeria Police Force without any probe as a big slap on Nigerians.

Okorie stated this yesterday while reacting to the scrapping of the SARS operatives, as announced by the Inspector General of Police.

The former lawmaker who was a two term representative of Ohanivo federal constituency, Ebonyi state, between 2011 to 2015, reiterated that any redeployment to departments and teams with similar or related operational duties is unacceptable and would be counterproductive.

He noted, “while the news of the scrapping of SARS, in the face of mass protests by the citizens, is a welcome development; it falls far too short of expectations.

 

“First, the directive to redeploy the operatives is vague and worrisome. Any redeployment to departments and teams with similar or related operational duties is unacceptable and would be counterproductive.

 

“Two, just scrapping SARS and redeploying the operatives to continue as if nothing happened; without a probe, is a big slap on the face of the thousands of youths that protested across the land in the last few days, those that lost their lives in the struggle and many more that were victims of of the “killer squad” over the years.

“No member of the scrapped SARS should be redeployed to any team or squad or arm of the police responsible for operational and crime management duties.

“The President should immediately set up a JUDICIAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY into the activities of the now rested squad, with specific emphasis on documenting the human right and related abuses committed on citizens; and recommending sanctions and compensations.

“The NASS should also set up a JOINT PUBLIC HEARING OF BOTH CHAMBERS, to hold hearings across the six (6) geopolitical zones of the country listening to Nigerians share their complaints and experiences with the defunct SARS”.

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