The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Tony Ojukwu, on Wednesday declared that the survival of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) depended on its perceived usefulness to Nigerians.
Ojukwu stated this in his welcome address at the inaugural sitting of the Independent Investigative Panel on Human Rights Violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other units of the NPF, held at the premises of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
“The survival of the NPF will depend on its perceived usefulness to the people of Nigeria. A state of police brutality and impunity cannot help this positive perception,” Ojukwu said.
He added that the police are being paid by taxpayers’ money and as such could only survive with the support of the people.
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He declared that the present disposition of the police towards regime protection rather than the people’s protection was colonial and no longer sustainable.
The setting up of the independent investigative panel, according to the NHRC Executive Secretary, was a soothing balm for many Nigerians, who were itching to have their complaints against SARS and other police officers heard.
He informed that the panel was set up as an implementation of one of the recommendations of the 2018 Presidential Panel Report on SARS Reform “which amongst other thing recommended the institutionalisation of an annual mechanism by the Commission to listen to the complaints of human rights violation by officers of the Nigerian Police”.
While saying that membership of the panel predisposes it to the independent it requires to deal with matters before it, Ojukwu charged members to focus on substantial justice to both the complainants and the alleged violators.
“The panel must focus on substantial justice to both the complainants and the alleged violators because Human Rights Commission Panel and must not be involved in miscarriage of justice,” he admonished.
Ojukwu informed that the panel was set up pursuant to the inherent mandate of the NHRC to investigate human rights violation in accordance with Section 6(1)(a,d,e,f and g) of the National Human Rights Commission Act 1995 as amended by the NHRC Amendment Act, 2010.
He further informed that so far had received 150 complaints of human rights violation against SARS and the police across FCT and the six geopolitical zones.
In his remarks, the FCT Chief Judge, Justice Ishaq Usman Bello, stated that human rights violations against anybody anywhere “is an attack on the constitutional order which goes to the fabrics of society and existence as a people”.
Represented by Justice Husseini Baba-Yusuf, the CJ stated that, “where human rights are respected it blossoms with a cushioning effect with a result that benefits the generality of the people wherein the other hand, it is neglected. The result can be devastating and catastrophic, may God not allowed us to choose this option.
“It is in the light of this that I see the assignment embarked upon as very important to us as a people.”
In his goodwill message, the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr Abubakar Malami SAN, who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice and Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr Dayo Akpata SAN, stated that the Federal Government is committed to its primary responsibility of protecting lives and properties of the citizens.
Malami assured that as the government awaits the report of the panel, anyone indicted shall be prosecuted, adding that his office would equally implement recommendations of the panel.
In his remarks, chairman of the panel, Justice Suleiman Galadima (retd), declared that human rights were God-given and any violations of such by anyone was absolutely condemnable.
The chairman assured that the panel will be fair and just to everyone who appears before it, adding that, “we will deliver on this monumental task before us. We will do substantial justice to all.”
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