The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has issued an order to all Assistant Inspectors-General in charge of zonal commands and also state Commissioners of Police to detain and dismiss from the Nigeria Police Force any officer, found guilty of violating the rights of the citizens. Vigil360 reported earlier during the week about the IGPs ban of the patrol of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other special teams. The IGP has further issued a directive in a letter for a compilation of recent cases of violation of citizens’ rights and abuse of power by the FSARS, Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Special Tactical Squad (STS), Special Anti Cultism Squad (SACS) and other similar teams, to be forwarded to his office by Friday.
It should include dates and venues of such incidents, the teams/personnel involved, and other details necessary for further investigations.
The returns to the IG should also include the actions taken by the head of the affected commands as well as the current status of such incidents.
The CP X-Squad, Force Provost Marshall, and IGP Monitoring Unit are also to immediately deploy joint teams to enforce his directives across all the 36 state commands including the Federal Capital Territory.
The letter also said “the unprofessional activities of some operatives of these special teams have continued to pit us against the same citizens we were statutorily obligated and paid to serve and protect.
“Any personnel found violating the directives must be arrested and brought to the Force Headquarters for appropriate actions. Weekly updates must be forwarded to the office of the IGP for review and appropriate directives.”
The letter also noted that the operational deployment of such special teams is limited only to certain security incidents such as armed robbery, kidnapping or other similar violent incidents that must be expressly authorized by the appropriate police authority.
Meanwhile, the Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Dingyadi, has pledged his ministry’s assistance to investigate allegations of errant personnel of the FSARS and other police teams.
Dingyadi said the purpose was to secure justice for victims and punish erring officers found guilty of violating citizens’ rights and unprofessional conduct.
According to him, the newly established Servicom Unit of the Ministry of Police Affairs has been tasked to work along with the Police Public Complaint Unit and the relevant department in the Police Service Commission, to ensure fast track resolution of cases against personnel and also serve as a deterrent to others.
