Officers in SARS continue the use of torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment (other ill-treatment) of detainees in their custody.
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“For avoidance of doubt, word of caution is in accordance to Judges Rule 5, which states that, “I have decided to make complaint against you in the court of law; do you wish to say anything?”
Amnesty said it had received reports from lawyers, human rights activists and journalists and collected testimonies from victims to uncover “a pattern of ruthless human rights violations”.
Amnesty International had, in report titled “In Nigeria: You have signed your death warrant”, said SARS, set up to combat crime had instead been systematically torturing detainees in its custody as a means of extracting confessions and lucrative bribes.
Victims interviewed by the London-based human rights group said members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad stole their cars, withdrew money from their bank accounts and confiscated their properties.
“For example, Ekene, a 24-year-old university student, was arrested in Awka, Anambra State, by police officers from SARS station in Awkuzu in December 2015”.
“Our research has exposed the callous workings of a police squad operating outside of the law and inflicting daily brutality on Nigerians who are often legally powerless to defend themselves against criminal accusations, let alone from the torture meted out by SARS”, said Damian Ugwu.
“In reality, some of the allegations by the Amnesty International highlighted in their report, we investigated them thoroughly and came to a very definite conclusion that some of these allegations are false”, the IGP added. We respect human rights and global standard; we don’t tolerate torture or sanction corruption; we interface with agencies including the Justice Ministry to ensure things are done properly.
Police spokesman Deputy Commissioner Donald Awunah did not respond to requests for comment.
He said that it was illegal for any police personnel to shoot into the air and cause panic in the community.
“The Amnesty International team were given unguided access to the detention facilities in the above indicated States”.
“In contrast, the Amnesty International with a predetermined motive reneged on the agreement but released an abridged report before 20th September, 2016 and pretentiously published the report on the date agreed to discuss the findings and harmonise facts”, the police said.
“The bone of contention therefore is who is fooling who?”
The report says many officers bribe police chiefs to get onto the special squad where “torture is a lucrative business” and that “the police chiefs in charge are themselves entwined in the corruption”.
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“The Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris wishes to reassure Nigerians and the worldwide community that the Nigeria Police will continue to discharge its statutory functions according to all known laws and regulations despite obvious distractions”.
