Judiciary

Federal Government inaugurates 9-man panel to investigate allegations of human rights violations by SARS, Police

Published

3 years ago

2020/11/03

The Human Rights Commission has created an independent investigative panel to look into cases of human rights violation by the recently disbanded SARS unit and the entire Police Force.

This development has come in the wake of the recent EndSARS protests where citizens have made human rights violation allegations against the SARS unit and the entire Nigerian Police Force.

The event took place on Tuesday in Abuja, and was preceded over by the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Tony Ojukwu Esq.

The press statement released to NewsWireNGR, partly reads: “the National Human Rights Commission has inaugurated the independent Investigative Panel to investigate all allegations of Human right violations and abuse of power by the defunct squad.

The panel made up of experts and representatives from the civil societies as well as the Nigerian Youths is to be chaired by a retired Justice of the Supreme court, Justice Suleiman Galadima.

Justice Suleiman who spoke on behalf of members of the panel promised to do a thorough job.

Other members of the panel are:

Civil societies; Dr. Lydia Umar and Dr. Uju Agomoh

Representative of the National Human Rights Commission; Mr. Abdulrahman Yakubu (Director, Civil and Political Rights)

Representative of Nigerian Youths; Mr Mubarak Mijinyawa (Speaker Nigerian Youth Parliament)

Representative of the Police Service Commission; Mr Tijani Mohammed (Director of Investigation)

Representative of Nigeria Police Force; Mr Ibrahim Lamorde (AIG Intelligence )

Representative of the Nigerian Bar Association; John Aikpokpo-Martin (Ist Vice President NBA) and Dr. Garba Tetengi SAN.

The Human Rights commission was created in 1995 following a resolution 48/134 of the United Nations General Assembly. The commission serves as an extra-judicial mechanism for the respect and enjoyment of human rights. It also provides avenues for public enlightenment, research, and dialogue in order to raise awareness on human rights issues.