SAGAMU CRISIS: IG DISBANDS ZONAL SARS

Reps Vow to End Police Brutality

Following the death of a player of Remo Stars Football Club, Kazeem Tiamiyu who was allegedly arrested and killed by police operatives at Sagamu on Saturday, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, has announced the disbandment of the Zonal Intervention Squad, Obada-Oko, Ogun State. The late footballer was allegedly pushed out of the police vehicle and crushed to death by an oncoming vehicle on the Abeokuta-Sagamu Expressway.

The death of the footballer led to violent protests in Sagamu, and resulted in the death of several protesters as policemen deployed to control the protesters shot and killed some.

The Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of the Criminal Investigations Department, Force Headquarters, Peter Ogunyonwo, who had been ordered by the IG to take over the case, announced the disbandment during a condolence visit to the parents of the deceased on behalf of the IG. He explained that the ZIS operatives were on an illegal duty and did not obtain clearance from the police formation at Sagamu before arresting the deceased. According to the him, a police inspector indicted in the case had also been dismissed, while other officers were under investigation.

He noted that the death of Tiamiyu would prompt the police to carry out more reforms and pledged that full Investigation would be carried out. He promised that the police would do everything possible to purge itself of “trigger-happy elements”.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has vowed to defend Nigerians against extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses by men of the Nigeria Police Force. The Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, spoke in Abuja on Tuesday at a public hearing organised by the House Committee on Police Affairs, themed, ‘Repositioning the Nigeria Police for Enhanced Service Delivery.’ While citing the killing of Tiamiyu, the Speaker said citizens now live in fear of the police.

Present at the event were the IG, Adamu, represented by the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Operations), Abdulmajid Ali; Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice, Mr Dayo Apata (SAN), for the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN); and the Minister of Police Affairs, Maigari Dingyadi.

Also present were the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, represented by the Emir of Kebbi, Alhaji Ibrahim Mera; a former Assistant IG and Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu; a former IG and Chairman, Police Service Commission, Musiliu Smith; representatives of the service chiefs, Department of State Services and the National Orientation Agency, among others.

Gbajabiamila said, “In the last few days, we have all witnessed as the city of Sagamu in Ogun State has been unsettled by an orgy of violence resulting from the extrajudicial killing of a young footballer by officers of the Nigeria Police. Citizens who gathered to protest this killing were soon themselves at the receiving end of police bullets.

“This is not an isolated incident. We are daily inundated with news reports of interactions between citizens and the police resulting in the injury and death of those citizens. Reports of police harassment of young people have become so rampant that they barely even break through the news cycle except when public anger becomes so great that it results in breakdown of law and order.

“We can no longer stand for this, and we will not. This House of Representatives has a responsibility to speak for our citizens and we will continue to do so even when it is inconvenient.”

The Speaker pointed out that the first responsibility of the state was to protect lives and property and all other things stem from this fundamental obligation.

He said, “We are confronted with an urgent need, deserving of our utmost attention and dedication. We must fix the Nigeria Police Force, restore public confidence and make the institution once more deserving of the true faith and support of the Nigerian people.”

Gbajabiamila noted that the hearing was convened to examine ways the House could improve the capacity of the police to deliver on their obligations to the people.