The Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, has drummed support for peaceable protests towards police brutality particularly by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The End SARS protest which has gone international seeks the disbandment of the police unit over incessant circumstances of extra-judicial killings, extortion, and harassment of citizens.
Protests have taken place in Lagos, Abuja and different main cities.
Nigerian singers, actors, politicians and different outstanding people have joined the campaign each on the streets and the social media space.
Gov.Bello, in his message to Nigerian youth on Saturday, described in search of a finish to SARS brutality as a worthy trigger that should be supported by all.
“Searching for an finish to the brutal conduct towards citizens by FSARS, other police items and the personnel of all safety companies is a worthy trigger that should be supported by all,” the governor mentioned.
He implored youth towards violent confrontations with the police under any kind or guise, whether or not throughout these protests or in another circumstance.
“Taking the law into your hands is unwise, harmful to the perpetrators, and counter-productive to all desired outcomes. We are going to proceed to work towards a brand new course within the affairs of Nigeria through which all citizens can maximise the advantages of nationhood, together with freedom from arbitrariness by agents of government,” he mentioned.
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He mentioned, as governor and chief security officer of Kogi State, he had had trigger previously to order the arrest and prosecution of security officers whose misconduct and brutality led to harm and/or loss of life of harmless citizens within the state.
“It’s because I imagine within the synergy between law and order and due course of as safeguards for absolutely the rights of citizens to decent treatment in any respect phases of encounter with law enforcement,” he stated.
“On the flip facet, I’ve additionally labored to enhance normal welfare for all security personnel and formations working in Kogi State – in money and in variety, rewarded excellent service by officers and stoutly defended these falsely accused or unfairly victimised. It’s because I imagine there’s a hyperlink between an officer’s job satisfaction and the worth she or he has for the job. This, in flip, determines how a safety personnel reacts to citizens whereas finishing up official duties.
“We additionally work as actively as doable to foster mutual respect between law enforcement and our citizens in each policing scenario making an allowance for that cooperation all the time works higher than battle.”
The governor additionally famous {that a} small proportion of security officers persist in unprofessional conduct on the roads, tainting the picture of the police and authorities.
“Whereas I can not instantly recall any incident of it, I want to apologise as a pacesetter for any error of omission or fee beneath my watch which has led to illegal experiences in police custody by any citizen,” he mentioned.
“I’d have interaction with a few of my colleagues, the police hierarchy and the management of the Nigerian Human Rights Commission on the way to additional facilitate progress on the order by President Muhammadu Buhari, since July 2019, for implementation of the Report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.”
Mr Bello mentioned his administration had simply established the Workplace of the Public Defender and Residents’ Rights Fee (PDCRC).
He additionally directed the quick organising of a Human Rights Special Intervention Group (HRSIG) beneath the PDCRC to obtain and resolve complaints of brutality by law enforcement wherever within the state.
