#EndSARS: Federal govt accepts 5-point demand of protesters

The federal government has granted a 5-point request of protesters calling for an end to police brutality in the country, according to Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina.

In a statement, Adesina said: "following directives by President Muhammadu Buhari on dissolution of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and immediate response to yearnings of citizens, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, convened a meeting with stakeholders, agreeing to meet demands, which include halting use of force against protesters and unconditional release of arrested citizens."

The statement added that the meeting was convened by the Office of the Inspector General of Police and National Human Rights Commission and that it was a multi-stakeholders’ forum attended by leaders and representatives of civil society organisations in Nigeria, activists from the entertainment industry and the ENDSARS movement and development partners.

"The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the government.

Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu Pulse Nigeria

"A communiqué of Stakeholders’ Meeting on the Implementation of the Recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) said:

“Following the public protests regarding various forms of human rights violations by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the consequent disbandment of the unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, there arose the need for stakeholder engagement to build trust and restore public confidence in law enforcement.

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“The agitations also brought to the fore, the need to implement the recommendations of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

“The Forum was addressed by the Inspector General of Police and the Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission.

“The Forum collectively: welcomed the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Reaffirmed the constitutional rights of Nigerians to peaceful assembly and protest; Further affirmed the sanctity of life of every Nigerian and the role of the Police in protecting this right; Affirms that the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the Government.’

“The Forum recommends the psychological evaluation, training and retraining of disbanded SARS officials prior to re-deployment. "

The communiqué stated that sub-committees will be supported by the National Human Rights Commission and other civil society organisations, Adesina said.

Those who attended the meeting are: Dr Kole Shettima- MAC Arthur Foundation; Innocent Chukwuma - Ford Foundation; Jude Ilo- of OSIWA; Segun Awosanya(segalinks) - End Sars Movement; Yemi Adamolekun- Enough is Enough; Clément Nwankwo- PLAC; Rafsanjani- CISLAC; Kemi Okonyedo- PWAN; YZ – CITAD; Folarin Falana Falz; Prof Deji Adekunle –NIALS; Chris Ngwodo, SSA to President Research & Policy; Dr Fatima Waziri – Rule of Law Adviser OVP and Abdulrahman Yakubu - NHRC Secretariat.

Others are: Hilary Ogbonna- NHRC secretariat; Halilu Adamu - NHRC Secretariat; Ben Aguh - NHRC secretariat; Dr Uju Agomuoh – PRAWA and Onyinye Ndubuisi – UNDP.