Suit To Stop States’ Judiciary Panels: Force Headquarters Queries Legal Team, Orders Probe Into Alleged Suit

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered  query to be issued to the Head of Force headquarters Legal Section over a suit challenging the legality of the States’ Judicial Panel of Inquiry investigating the allegations against officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

This was contained in a statement by Force Public Relation Officer, Frank Mba, in which he said the IGP has also ordered investigation into the alleged suit.

BIGPENNGR.COM reports that there have been scepticism by some Nigerians who have queried the legal process and legality of the states’ judicial panels.

Many have questioned the statutory provision enabling the constitution of these panels by State Governors, the power of these panels to inquire into allegations of human rights violations by the defunct SARS personnel.

Mba, in the statement said; “The IGP, who gave the order on the heels of trending reports in the media, today 3rd December, 2020, expressed the disapproval of the Force Management Team on the matter and ordered investigations into the alleged role of the Force Legal Section including its Head.

“Meanwhile, the Force Legal Officer has been queried and may face further sanctions if found guilty of dereliction of duty.

According to him, the IGP reiterated the commitment of the Force to fulfilling all its obligations with regards to the disbandment of the defunct SARS, the ongoing Judicial Panels and all other police reforms”.

Meanwhile, it was learnt that the suit was brought before the Federal High Court in Abuja, the nation’s capital, according to Channels TV report.

It seeks to stop the judicial panels of inquiry set up by various state governments to probe the allegations of police brutality and human rights abuses by the disbanded SARS and other police tactical units.

The police, through their lawyer, O.M. Atoyebi, had argued that the state governments lacked the power to constitute the panels to investigate activities of the force and its officials in the conduct of their statutory duties.

They urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of inquiry from going ahead with the probe focusing on police impunity.

Joined as defendants in the suit included the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF), the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) which set up the Independent Investigative Panel sitting in Abuja, the Attorneys-General of the 36 states, as well as the chairmen of the panels.