The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for the unconditional release of all #ENDSARS peaceful protesters across the country.
According to the apex legal body, it is constitutional for Nigerians to protest and demand good governance.
NBA’s President, Olumide Akpata, made the association’s position known in Abuja on Tuesday, during which he argued that the ongoing citizens’ revolt was a reaction years of systemic failure.
Akpata noted that the “disbandment of SARS, re-posting or transferring officers of any disbanded unit and other knee-jerk reactions will only scratch the surface and not offer long-lasting solution”.
He, however, advised that a thorough and holistic reform of not just the Nigerian Police, but the
the entire security architecture in the country could be the solution.
On its part, Akpata announced that the NBA will make its human and other resources available to the independent investigation panel to be established by police and the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the violations of human rights by the disbanded SARS and other segments of the Nigerian police.
Besides that, the NBA demanded an expedited audit of the various SARS detention centres across the country, especially the notorious detention facilities in Awkuzu in Anambra State, the infamous human abattoir in Abuja and others in Lagos, Port Harcourt and another parts of the country.
The Bar also demanded an immediate audit of the detainees in the detention camps to ensure that all Nigerians unjustly and unlawfully clamped into detention are immediately released, while those who have cases to answer must be prosecuted in accordance of the law.
The NBA Chief promised that the association will work with Chief Magistrates or designated Magistrates across the country to pay monthly visits to police stations and other detention facilities within their territorial divisions to direct arraignment of suspects or grant them bail in line with the newly enacted Police Act.
“Our nation has in the last couple of days witnessed a mass action by Nigerian citizens mostly the youth against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS of the Nigerian police.
“The protests are precipitated by years of brutality and professional misconduct by operatives of this particular police unit who have for too long derailed from the core mandates of their establishment and have become threats to the same citizens that they were meant to protect in line with the general mandate of the police under the Nigerian Constitution.
“We demand that police service commission should live up to its responsibilities by speedily looking into complaints against the police for abuse or misuse of power. This is important to ensure that the relationship between the public and the police is one of trust and confidence instead of suspicion and indifference.”
Akpata further promised that the NBA will set up reform team that will work with the police and other institutions in developing a comprehensive blueprint for police reforms in Nigeria.
