Lagos Assembly demands proscription of F-SARS, replacement with new security outfit

The Lagos State House of Assembly on Friday demanded the proscription of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and the introduction of a new and well-structured security outfit in its place.

The House also called on the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Hakeem Odumosu, to provide protection for the protesters, while they express their grievances.

The call was made at an emergency sitting presided over by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa on the current call across the nation for an end to the widely reported alleged inhuman activities of F-SARS.

Obasa and some lawmakers had addressed some residents of Lagos who protested to the House of Assembly on Thursday demanding for an end to F-SARS with some of them alleging that innocent people had become the major victims of the body.

Among the seven-point resolution passed after an extensive deliberation was that the Senate and the House of Representatives should carry out a probe of the allegations against F-SARS including killing, maiming and dehumanising of Nigerians.

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The House resolved that the Commissioner of Police in Lagos State should protect End-SARS Protesters in the state and ensure that they are not molested and that he should stop unwarranted molestation of the youths by the FSARS and its counterparts in the State.

They demanded further that the Senate President and the Speaker of the Federal House of Representatives should institute a public enquiry on the extra-judicial activities, killings, maiming and dehumanization of the youths by the Anti- Robbery Squad; and ensure that the victims are duly compensated while erring officers sanctioned appropriately.

“SARS should be proscribed and a new security outfit which will be more efficient with clearly spelt out code of conduct and rule of engagements be established while sanction is imposed for the misdemeanour.

“Mr President should ensure that culpable officials of SARS receive the punishment as prescribed by the National Assembly,” the lawmakers stated.

The Assembly also directed its Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Public Petitions to liaise with the Commissioner of Police and Attorney General of the State to fashion out ways and means to address allegations of ruthlessness and extrajudicial killings contained in the petition against SARS in the state.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was also urged to engage relevant institutions “to protect lives and property in the state such that phones, laptops and other means of communication belonging to youths are not confiscated indiscriminately without a warrant.”