The independent investigative panel on allegations of human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other police units set up by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has declared that the police have a duty to let Nigerians know the whereabouts of persons they arrested and kept in their custody.
The declaration was made, on Thursday, by the chairman of the 11-man panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd), at the resumed hearing of the petition alleging violation of the right to personal liberty and enforced disappearance of one Eric Ezeala who was arrested in 2017 by operatives of SARS and nothing has been heard about him.
Justice Galadima further declared that the police could not run away from answering questions on the enforced disappearance of Ezeala, adding that the police had to be deeply involved in this matter.
According to him, “We must get to the bottom of this case as quickly as possible.”
Also speaking on the matter, a member of the panel, John Aikpokpo-Martins, said the investigative panel had a timeline within which to complete its assignment, asserting that the panel could not do so without confirming the whereabouts of victims under police detention.
According to Aikpokpo-Martins, “we have a timeline and we must finish this national assignment within the time frame we have.
“The panel cannot wind up without confirming the whereabouts of victims in police custody, whether they are alive or dead.”
Responding, lead counsel for the police, James Idachaba assured that hr would personally be involved to find the whereabouts of the said Ezeala.
He informed that from a preliminary investigation he carried out personally, Ezela was arrested by the Inspector General of Police, Intelligence Response Team (IGP-IRT) and not SARS as alleged by his family.
The panel thereafter adjourned the petition to November 23 for respondents to find Ezeala’s whereabouts.
While previously testifying before the panel, Ezeala’s mother, Mrs Hilda Ezeala, had informed that her son was arrested by policemen in July 2017 and informed her to come with her lawyer to the SARS office in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
She added that it was at the office in Owerri that the family was informed that her son had been transferred to Abuja and since then nothing had been heard about him.
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NHRC panel insists Nigerians must know police detainees’ whereabouts
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