PRESIDENTIAL DIRECTIVE ON IMMEDIATE OVERHAUL OF SARS - NEST TV NEWS
· THE
OUTFIT WILL NOW BE KNOWN AS FEDERAL SPECIAL ANTI-ROBBERY SQUAD (FSARS).
ALL SARS TEAMS NATIONWIDE HAVE BEEN COLLAPSED UNDER FSARS
· A NEW COMMISSIONER OF POLICE HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS THE OVERALL HEAD OF THE FEDERAL SPECIAL ANTI-ROBBERY SQUAD NATIONWIDE.
The
Inspector General of Police in compliance with the Presidential
directives has ordered the immediate overhauling of the Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to address complaints and allegations on human
rights violations against some of the personnel of Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) from members of the public in some parts of the Country.
2.
In the new arrangement, a new Commissioner of Police has been
appointed as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad
nationwide.
3.
The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad previously under the Force
Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (FCIID) is
henceforth to operate under the Department of Operations, Force
Headquarters Abuja. The Commissioner of Police (FSARS) is answerable to
the Inspector General of Police through the Deputy Inspector General of
Police, Department of Operations.
4.
In observance of full compliance with the Presidential directives,
the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad will be intelligence driven and will be
restricted to the prevention and detection of Armed Robbery, kidnapping
and the apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offenses only.
5.
New FSARS Commanders are being appointed for the Federal
Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) across the country that will now exist and
operate in the State and Zonal Commands under the Commissioner of Police
(F-SARS) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja. A Federal SARS Commander of a
Rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) but not below
Superintendent of Police (SP) will be in charge of FSARS in State and
Zonal Commands across the Country.
6.
All Commissioners of Police have been directed by the Inspector General
of Police to comply with this directive with immediate effect and warn
their personnel not to pose as SARS operatives. The IGP X-Squad and
Monitoring Unit have been mandated to go round the Commands and Police
Formations nationwide to ensure strict compliance with the Presidential
directives and apprehend any erring police officer.
7.
A new Standard Operational Guidelines and Procedures, and code of
conduct for all FSARS personnel to ensure that the operations of the
Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad is in strict adherence to the rule of
law and with due regards to international human rights law and
constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects will be enforced in
totality by the Commissioner of Police, FSARS. Other measures to be
implemented by the Force in observance of full compliance with the
presidential directives are as follows:
i.
Human Rights Desk Officers for FSARS in every State to take
complaints from the public and forward same to Force Headquarters, the
officer will be answerable to the Commissioner of Police, FSARS at the
Force Headquarters and not Commander FSARS in the States.
ii. Medical/Psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel will be carried out immediately.
iii. Redesigning of new uniform with identity name tag for all FSARS personnel throughout the Country will be done immediately.
iv.
Henceforth, FSARS personnel will not perform Stop and Search duties
except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping
offences only.
8. The
Force will be transparent, cooperate, and work cordially with the
National Human Right Commission on the special panel that will conduct
an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of FSARS to address
grievances from the public against the personnel of FSARS in compliance
with the presidential directives.
9.
Furthermore, a new training program to be organized by the Force in
collaboration with some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), Local and
International NGOs, and other Human Rights Organizations on core Police
Duties, Observant of Human Rights and Handling, Care and Custody of
Suspects have been directed by the Inspector General of Police for all
Federal SARS personnel nationwide with immediate effect.
10.
A committee of Senior Police officers, Technical Consultants, Human
Rights/Civil Society organizations (CSOs) has been setup to review the
activities of FSARS under the new arrangement. They are to pay
unscheduled visits to FSARS formations across the country with
particular attention to States with high complaints index, to assess
facilities and situations in these States and submit report to the
Inspector General of Police on regular basis.
11.
However, aggrieved members of the public who have any complaint in the
past or present of violation of their rights by any Special Anti-Robbery
Squad (SARS) personnel anywhere in the country are to report through
any of the following channels for investigation and redress.
i. DIG, Department of Operations
v. FORCE PUBLIC COMPLAINT BUREAU
Twitter: @PoliceNG
vi. PUBLIC COMPLAINT RAPID RESPONSE UNIT (PCRRU)
08057000001 – Calls Only
Twitter: @PoliceNG_PCRRU
Ag. DCP JIMOH MOSHOOD
FORCE PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER
FORCE HEADQUARTERS ABUJA
This news is supported by NEST TV and First Nest Consult
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