….Commissioners of Police , others hail IGP
……APC welcomes dissolution
Ibe Pascal Arogorn
Salihu Yakasai, Special Adviser to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje on Media, has been suspended with immediate effect for criticizing President Muhammadu Buhari.
PM News had earlier reported that Yakasai slammed Buhari for not addressing Nigerians amid the national outrage as well as days of online and offline protests against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
Yakasai stated the Buhari’s administration lacks empathy for Nigerians.
He described President Buhari’s silence as ‘I don’t care attitude’ that has been displayed “over and over again.”
“I have never seen a government with zero empathy like that of President Muhammadu Buhari,” Yakasai stated shortly before the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu announced the disbandment of SARS in Abuja on Sunday afternoon.
“So many times when his people are going through a difficult time and expect some sort of tap on the shoulder to reassure them that he is in charge, but he failed to do so.
“The ‘I don’t care attitude’ is on another level.
“To speak to your own people over issues that are bedeviling them has become something like a favour you are doing to them.
“Over and over again, you cannot spare five minutes to address the nation to calm them down, the same people you went to the 36 states to beg for their votes, it is heartbreaking.”
The media aide made the statement despite the fact that his principal Abdullahi Ganduje belongs to the same party as the president.
However, the Kano State Government responded to Yakasai’s statement with a suspension letter which takes effect immediately.
The letter from Kano State Government described Yakasai’s comments as “unguarded utterances”.
The letter was titled ‘Ganduje Suspends Media Aide Over Attack On Buhari’ and signed by the Commissioner for Information, Muhammed Garba.
The statement released on Sunday afternoon partly read, “Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano state has suspended his Special Adviser on Media, Salihu Tanko Yakasai over some unguarded utterances on the person of President Muhammadu Buhari on the social media platform.
“The state commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, who conveyed the governor’s directive in a statement this afternoon, said the suspension is with immediate effect.
“He said that though the media aide has owned up the indiscreet comment as his personal opinion, but that as a public figure, it will be difficult to differentiate between personal opinion and official stand on matters of public concern.
“The governor, therefore, warned political appointees and public servants to guard against making statements capable of drawing unnecessary controversy and heating up the polity.”
Commissioners of Police , others hail IGP
Two Commissioners of Police on Sunday hailed the decision of the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The dissolution followed their alleged reckless behaviours on the society.
The commissioners said that the dissolution of SARS would help in reducing violence erupting from various anti-protesting groups across the country.
One of them, Mr Fatai Owoseni, said that the peaceful protest organised by responsible citizens had been hijacked by hoodlums to perpetuate crime and create unrest in the society.
“The dissolution of the anti-robbery unit will help to lessen the aggression fueled by protesting youths and hopefully stabilise decorum in the society,” Owoseni, a retired commissioner of police said.
Also speaking, Commissioner Awotinde Awoshola said that the IGP made a smart decision by disbanding the unit for peace to be restored to the country.
Awoshola said that the excesses of the anti-robbery unit had to be checked and that can only be achieved by disbanding the unit.
“However, the disbandment of SARS will only create room for the establishment of another security outfit. We hope that the new outfit will carry out the objectives of the Federal Government to the letter,” he said.
Also, Mr Monday Ubani, a lawyer, supported the decision of the government to bring an end to SARS as a way of listening to the voices and cries of the public.
Ubani, however, said that the disbandment would only create room for a better anti-robbery unit to be brought to play to continue the fight against crime in the society.
There is going to be a work out programme by the Nigeria Police Force, Civic Society group and major stakeholders on who will replace SARS in fighting crime,” he said.
Ubani said that the officials of the disbanded unit usually picked on well-dressed young men who use expensive phones and try to extort money from them based on the premise they were internet fraudsters.
“This has led to harassment and an infringement on the rights of such citizens which is unacceptable,” he said.
Also, a social critic and a human rights activist, Mr Kehinde Nubi, said that the government should set up a panel to investigate the crimes committed by the officials of the SARS for justice to prevail.
Nubi said that this was not the first time that a special unit of the police would be disbanded after a public outcry only for the unit to be brought back.
“A disbandment of the unit is not only satisfactory. We need the government to set up a panel that will punish erring officials of SARS as a deterrent to others,” he said.
APC welcomes dissolution
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has welcomed the disbandment of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
APC views the responsive decision as a major and concrete step towards President Muhammadu Buhari’s affirmed resolve to achieve better policing and necessary reforms.
From the recent #BlackLivesMatter social movement to other global clamours for review of Police operations particularly in regard to citizens they are empowered to protect, the need for Police reforms in Nigeria is urgent and continuous.
With the benefit of experience and public outcry over the operations of the now-disbanded SARS, the APC is confident that the new policing arrangement promised by the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed will balance the need to effectively combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country and ensure humane, professional and accountable police operations.
APC calls on Nigerians to take advantage of the Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum which is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public.
Wizkid declares what next after SARS disbandment
Popular Nigerian musician, Ayo Balogun professionally called Wizkid has said that the disbandment of SARS is just the beginning as Nigerian youths have won the fight in ending SARS.
The music star who led the #EndSars protest in Nigerian High Commission in London said on Twitter that the next step is to reform the Nigerian Police and end police brutality. Wizkid said further that all Nigerians deserve good governance.
Furthermore, the ‘Soco’ crooner addressed Nigerian Youths in his tweet highlighting the result of their collective effort.
He said, “you see what our voices did.” Wizkid also said that this is the beginning of a new Nigeria and told Nigerian Youths to know their rights and fight for it.
He added that the fight is not about him or any other individual, rather it is about everybody and the generation unborn.
Nigeria needs trusted police force, not SARS – Orji Kalu
Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, has said what Nigeria needs to fight crime is a reliable police force and not an outfit like Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS.
He also commended the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, for respecting the wishes of Nigerians on the call for the dissolution of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS )
The Inspector-General of Police, on Sunday afternoon, announced the disbandment of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
He said the operatives will be redeployed to other police formations and commands.
The announcement came after days of online and offline protests against the brutality and extra-judicial killings by SARS operatives nationwide.
Kalu, in a statement, said the IGP’s action has shown his concern for Nigerians especially the youths who have been accused, oppressed and subjected to all forms of abuse and brutality by some reckless members of the SARS
Kalu said he had written privately to the IGP for a total reform of the SARS , adding that what Nigeria needs is a trusted police force which is guided by the respect and protection of the rights of Nigerian citizens.
His words:”Police must ensure that their actions are in accordance with the fundamental principles for the development of a just society.
When people live in fear, they will be skeptical of what’s coming next in their lives and that is not right. Some of the SARS act with impunity. Many Nigerians have complained about how tensed they feel in check points even when they have their required papers ”
