As the Rivers state Commission of Inquiry begins to entertain cases of brutality by the Nigerian Police Force in the state, a 50-year-old man has opened up on how the defunct special anti-robbery squad, SARS, killed his three-year-old daughter.

The petitioner, Norde Sylvester, a civil servant with the Universal Basic Education (UBE) in Rivers State spoke at the hearing of the Rivers State Judicial Commission of Inquiry into Police brutality in Port Harcourt on Wednesday.

Sylvester recalled that the incident occurred on October 15, 2015 while he was outside with his family at his residence in Rumuohalu, near Port Harcourt, after they were forced to go inside as a result of sporadic shootings by SARS operatives.

“Two of them (operatives) got up and ordered me to go back and that if I don’t leave, I will go and join that my so called daughter. I came back in tears and went and buried the child,” he explained in tears.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Mercy Nweke, counsel to the State Commissioner of Police during cross-examination faulted the petitioner’s claims, wondering why he did not report the matter to the police. She noted that the bullet was not enough evidence that his daughter was killed.

“This is ammunition (referring to the bullet). It has not been used. Something that has not been used cannot kill anybody.”

But counsel to the Commission, S.O Inko-Tariah objected, saying his colleague was not an expert and was not in a place to determine if the bullet was used or not.

Sylvester reiterated that he reported at the SARS office but was chased by the operatives and produced the bullet that allegedly killed his daughter, adding that he was broke and could not hire the services of a lawyer and therefore decided to leave everything to God before the panel came up.

But the Commission’s Chairman, Justice Chukwunenye Uriri (rtd) said the evidence provided by the petitioner was of public interest and admitted it as an exhibit, even as he asked Sylvester what he wanted from the commission.

 “All I need is justice for my baby that they killed and also my house that was damaged,” he pleaded.

In a separate development, a 40-year old man, Tamunodiepreye Akalugogbo also told the panel that SARS operatives allegedly shot and killed his 14-year old son during the EndSARS protest at Oyigbo local government area of the State in October, this year.

Akalugogbo explained that following the deployment of soldiers to Oyigbi in the wake of the ENDSARS protest, people were running for their lives, but when he got home his son was nowhere to be found.

“My wife wanted me to buy something for her. So we started looking for him, only to see him on the roads with blood all over him and a bullet wound,” the petitioner stated.

Source:independent.ng

Youths protesting against police brutality across the country have taken over the Magboro area of the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway to express their displeasure.

They carried several placards with different inscriptions to demonstrate their grievances against the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit of the Nigeria Police Force.

One of the protesters, simply identified as Amaechi, said, “We are all here on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway because there is a nationwide protest for the soul of our country.

“#EndSARS, #Endpolicebrutality, end bad governance, and wickedness to the Nigerian youths. It is time for the youths to take over.”

Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has reassured #EndSARS protesters that the Nigeria Police Force would punish all officers found guilty of brutality and other unprofessional conducts.

Adamu also ordered police officers to stop assaulting peaceful protesters across the country.

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana, has also called on the Federal Government to discuss with #EndSARS protesters on ways to meet their demands.

He insisted that the government should give room for open discussions just the way they negotiate with terrorists and kidnappers.

Speaking during a television programme in Lagos, Falana also urged the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to provide security for protesters to limit cases of attacks by thugs.

Source:spread.ng

Fulani Kwajafa, a retired Commissioner of Police, has regretted establishing the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, a unit of the Nigeria Police Force, in 1984.

Fulani expressed his regrets during an interview with BBC Hausa, over the excesses of the unit, notorious for alleged human rights violations.

Activities of SARS operatives have sparked protests across the country for almost two weeks now.

Nigerians are demanding a total scrap of the unit and reformation of the entire police force but Kwajafa said the unit completely derailed from its founding objectives.

He said, “My name is Fulani Kwajafa. I entered the Nigeria Police Force in 1984. Then robbery was prevalent, this was while Buhari was the Head of State,” he said.

According to him, Maj. General Muhammadu Buhari received a lot of complaints that armed robbery and other forms of robbery were on the increase giving the people sleepless nights and him(Kwajafa) and the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr Inyang, said they must do something about it or be fired.

Kwajafa explained that the IGP then mandated him to come up with an idea to rescue the country from thieves, a task he, Kwajafa, accepted.

He said after four months of creating the police unit, peace returned to the country as criminals who were not caught ran, and those who were caught were sent to prison.

“This thing frustrates me, there is no reason why because someone commits a crime that the person should be killed. There are laws and no one will give an order that if you see armed robbers kill the person,” he said.

Source:dailypost.ng