Fred Ezeh, Abuja
The Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) had thanked the lnspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammed Abubakar Adamu, for yielding to the demand of some Nigerians to disband the “murderous” Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) which, it claimed, has been unleashing terror on the people.
The Council described the decision as welcome development in the efforts toward effective policing.
IPAC National Chairman, Dr. Leonard Nzenwa, in a statement released in Abuja, on Monday, said it’s unfortunate that SARS operatives who ought to channel their energy to the fight against armed robbery and kidnapping decided to turn their riffles against unarmed citizens particularly youths.
“To them, all Nigerian youths are suspects. They threw professionalism and decency to the wind and allowed themselves to be used by the highest bidder to settle scores including family issues while armed robbers, kidnappers, rituals, bandits and Boko Haram terrorise fellow compatriots.
“For us, it’s a big relief that this long national nightmare is over. All the SARS operatives involved in the recorded brutality and killing of innocent citizens should be arrested and prosecuted to serve as deterrent to others.”
IPAC, thus, urged Police authorities to come up with a professional, disciplined, proactive, patriotic, human, people-oriented anti-robbery squad, conscious of the fact that the security and welfare of the people is the primary purpose of government in tandem with Section 14(2)b of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“We have no doubt that the IGP is equal to the task of building an effective Police Force that Nigeria will be proud of. We also urge the National Assembly to further amend the Police Act to meet international standards,” IPAC demanded.
Meanwhile, the Council has congratulated the candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Rotimi Akeredolu, on his victory in the October 10, governorship election in Ondo State, describing it as a well deserved victory and eloquent testimony of his progressive governance in his first tenure.
The Council said: “Ondo State people have spoken with their votes. We urge the governor to justify the confidence reposed in him by implementing people-oriented projects and programmes that will improve their lives. He should reach out to his opponents in the election with a view to moving the State forward in the spirit of no victor, no vanquished.”
IPAC, however, observed with dismay the violence in some polling units where hoodlums disrupted voting and flagrant vote buying unlike in the governorship election in Edo State in September.
“‘It’s unfortunate and a sad commentary in efforts to improve the nation’s electoral process which Council strongly warned Ondo citizens to desist from when its members carried out massive voter education, sensitization and mobilization exercise in the State on Thursday October 8, 2020.”
IPAC said that, as a major stakeholder in the political process, it will continue to carry out programmes that will consolidate and deepen the Nigeria’s democracy, ensure conducive environment for successful elections, political stability and overall wellbeing of Nigerians in tandem with its vision of a greater, better, prosperous and equitable democratic nation.
It urged the National Assembly to expedite action in the ongoing amendment of the 1999 Constitution and Electoral Act 2010, to ensure lapses are blocked and new technology like e-voting is adopted to make Nigeria’s electoral process credible, transparent and acceptable as obtainable in advanced democracies.