Nigerian governors have told the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to suspend the creation of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit to replace the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The governors in a communiqué at the end of their 14th virtual meeting on Wednesday, said the timing was wrong and might be misinterpreted.
Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Governor Kayode Fayemi who signed the communiqué, called consultation with the public before any decision is taken.
“Governors advised the IGP to immediately convene a meeting of all stakeholders and agree on a format of engagement with all state officials in order to address concerns,” he stated.
According to him, governors emphasised that the proposed reform of the police should “include the training and retraining of operatives on the rules of engagement with the general public.
“Policing in Nigeria must ensure freedom for all Nigerians to carry out their lawful and legitimate businesses anywhere in the country without fear of harassment, intimidation or molestation.
“Governors advised that throughout the reform process, the room for consultation may include sessions and direct feedback from the public, stressing that there is no single solution that applies to all the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory.”
Fayemi disclosed that each state was mandated to set up a panel for compensation to all victims of SARS brutality and see to it that the necessary compensation is made to those who deserve them.
“This must be systematically done to ensure that nobody who deserves to be compensated, is left out,” the governor added.
He called on the IGP, the Police Service Commission (PSC) and the Nigeria Police Council (NPC) to immediately review the remuneration and emoluments of police officers and “explore ways to fund this in order to incentivise and motivate police officers who have pledged themselves in service of the country.”
Fayemi said the governors agreed that the concerns of the public went beyond a need for Police/FSARS reforms but a demand for better governance.
“They noted the need to engage, consult the public and take decisions that address the underpinning issues leading to the protests.
“Members noted that some states had already started the process of engaging protesters and urged all states to engage all stakeholders for a collectively agreed resolution.
“Governors enjoined the IGP to be ready to forge stronger partnerships with state governments and the civil society to improve civil relations between the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Public,” he added.
The governors however pledged to support the IGP in his plan to carry out far-reaching reforms geared towards greater effectiveness, accountability and transparency of the police force.
The state chief executives who met on Wednesday, took briefing from the IGP on the nationwide protest against the activities of SARS, but said the timing for creating another unit to replace SARS in inauspicious giving the mood of the nation.
They also demanded that former SARS members who participated in in the abuse of human rights of Nigerians be brought to book and the victims of SARS brutality adequately compensated.
The IGP had told the governors that SWAT officers would be trained, and about 50 of them posted to each state command and Abuja, to engage “only on intelligence-driven operation.
“They will not take part in routine operations but will operate specifically on intelligence after which they will return to their commands.”