The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has asked Federal Government to show genuineness in its disbanding of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, by throwing all detention centres of SARS open.
The Bar President, Mr Olumide Akpata, made the call at a press conference in Abuja, while listing some of the SARS’ infamous detention centres in the country as Abuja “human abattoir” as well as the squad’s detention centres in Lagos and Port Harcourt.
He called for a comprehensive audit of all detention centres of the disbanded squad to take stock of detainees.
The IGP on Sunday disbanded SARS following protests by youths, who alleged high-handedness and extortion by the squad.
The NBA president, who warned security agents against attacking anti-SARS campaigners, said the association would provide legal support for protesters.
Akpata said the association had set up a platform, publicinterest@nigerianbar.org.ng for submission of complaints by members of the public.
He said mere pronouncements of the disbandment of SARS would not put an end to protests against police brutality.
“What is key now is sincerity,” Akpata said while answering a question on what the government needed to do to end the protests.
He added, “First and foremost, the issue to address is that the issue of detention centres of SARS around the country where people are detained for alleged offences. They should be addressed.
“As a mark of good faith, and good disclosure, it will be important for the police to throw open these centres just to convince us that not only has SARS been disbanded, but also that indeed its activities have been brought to an end.”
Akpata also said the public must see that culpable SARS operatives were either disciplined or prosecuted depending on the degrees of allegations established against them.
He identified the most notorious SARS detention centres in the country to include “the infamous ‘human abattoir’ in Abuja”, the one in Awkuzu, Anambra State and the others in Lagos, and Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The NBA president, who categorised the group’s demands into short, mid and long terms, called for “an immediate audit of the detainees” in the notorious centres “and other facilities”, as part of its mid-term demands.
He also demanded “an expedited audit of the various SARS detention centres across the country.”
As part of its short -term demands, Akpata said the right of the citizens to protest “is inalienable and fundamental right that is not only recognised by the Nigerian constitution, but has also been consistently upheld by Nigerian courts at all levels”.
Aside condemning any ban on protests, the NBA president called on “governments at all levels to protect the rights of all citizens participating in the peaceful protests across the country.”
