The call was made in Abuja when NHRC submitted the report to the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, for implementation.

The Executive Secretary of NHRC, Mr Tony Ojukwu stated that the report among other things, contained names of 35 policemen who served under the disbanded SARS.

“The commission expects the AGF to consider their prosecution in accordance with the law.

”The submission of the report to the AGF is a gratifying point to the Commission which went round the six geopolitical zones of the country to listen to various complaints by Nigerians against the then SARS.

”There were discoveries and all were encapsulated in the report” he stated.

In his response, Malami who formally received the report said that government will implement the report in such a way that justice will be served to all the parties concerned.

“Justice is not a one-way traffic”.

“We have a mandate to establish a constitutional order”, where the welfare and peaceful co-existence of citizens are prioritised against personal or group interest.

”The current administration had in the past put modalities in place to give the Police the support they need to improve their welfare and do their work professionally” he stated.

He added that Police Act 2020 has provided answers to the various problems affecting the Police force, including their operations and welfare as captured in the Police Trust Fund.

Malami restated that the federal government had been mindful of the totality of the interest, welfare, security and well-being of all citizens before the current agitations to reform the Police force.

According to him government will continue to ensure the security and welfare of all citizens.

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This is contained in a statement signed by the Police Service Commission’s (PSC) Head, Press and Public Relations, Ikechukwu Ani, and made available to newsmen on Friday in Lagos.

The statement said that the Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, Tony Ojukwu, solicited the support of the PSC in the implementation of the aspects of the Report covered by PSC constitutional mandate.

According to the statement, Ojukwu made the solicitation while formally presenting the 2018 Report of the Presidential Panel to the PSC.

“The Presidential Panel had among other things investigated allegations of human rights violations and abuse of office against SARS and recommended reform or restructuring of the outfit,” the statement quoted Ojukwu as saying.

In the statement, Ojukwu said that PSC had all it takes to deal appropriately with the Report of the Presidential Panel on Reform of Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

“We have come to see a PSC determined to play a leading role in the reform of the Nigeria Police Force,” Ojukwu said.

He said that the Panel also directed the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, to unravel the identity of 22 officers involved in the violation of the human rights of innocent citizens.

The statement also quoted PSC Chairman, retired Inspector General of Police, Musiliu Smith, as saying that the PSC will collaborate and support the Human Rights Commission in the promotion of good governance.

He, however, said that for an effective reform of SARS, there must be a deliberate effort to select capable, professional and credible people to replace the disbanded outfit.

“There must also be training and close supervision of the newly-selected officers so that the nation will not experience the rot that became the fate of the disbanded unit. Any misconduct, he noted, should be severely and promptly handled,” Smith said.

The former police boss said that the government should show more concern to the funding of its vital Agencies as these Agencies need funds to do their job.

The statement said Smith has urged the government to provide a standard and proper living accommodation for the officers of the Nigeria Police Force for the officers to put in their best.

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Dr. Temitope Aluko

Chief Magistrate Soji Adegboye, while striking out the motion filed by Aluko’s counsel, Mr Niran Owoseni, said it was a mere academic exercise, time wasting and abuse of court process.
Chief Magistrate Adegboye, gave the order for Aluko’s arrest and prosecution for alleged perjury on February 3, 2016 based on a Motion Ex-parte number MAD/10cm/2016, filed by the Ekiti State Government against Aluko and the State Commissioner of Police.

The motion on notice, which was dismissed today, had stalled the execution of the arrest warrant issued against Aluko.

According to the order, the motion was made in pursuant to Section 117 of the Criminal Code Law, Cap C16, law of Ekiti State 2012, Section 79 of the Ekiti State Administration of Criminal Justice Law 2014 and Section 23 (D) of the Magistrates’ Courts Law 2014.

The Ekiti State police commissioner was joined as second defendant and was required to execute the order against Aluko.
However, Aluko had through hic counsel, filed a motion to challenge the jurisdiction of the Chief Magistrate Court to issue the warrant of arrest against him for allegedly committing the offence of perjury during an interview on Channel Television.
Aluko’s counsel, Owoseni had argued that Section 7 of Magistrate Law, 2014 specified that the magistrate court cannot act outside its territorial jurisdiction, describing the court action as incompetent and abuse of court process.
The Director of Public Prosecution (DPP), Mr Gbemiga Adaramola, who opposed the motion on notice, argued that since the warrant of arrest was a substantive matter, the ruling had a force of judgment.
While urging the court to strike out the motion, Mr Adaramola posited that the Chief Magistrate Court lacked jurisdiction to review its own judgement.

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