Right Group Fault Splitting Of SARS, Urges IGP To Adopt Inquisitorial System Of Policing

OGHENEJABOR IKIMI

The Centre for the Venerable and Underprivileged, (Centrep) have faulted the splitting of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) nationwide by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase saying that the splitting of the department was not the solution to cases of human right abuses by the police.

Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of investigation, Mr. Dan'azumi Doma while on a visit to the Lagos Police Command last week, had ordered the splitting of SARS into two units -the operational unit and the investigation unit in a bid to reducing human rights abuses traceable to men of the Nigerian police.

But reacting to the development, Executive Director of the Warri-based human right group, Barr. Oghenejabor Ikimi in a statement on Wednesday said that accusatory method of policing adopted by the Nigeria Police Force since independence was the root cause of cases of human right abuses traceable to the Nigerian Police Force.

"We differ root, stem and branches with the move of the Inspector General of Police, as splitting the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) would escalate human rights abuses traceable to the police nationwide owing to the accusatory method of policing adopted by the Nigeria Police Force since independence as oppose to the inquisitorial method of policing", Ikimi said.

He explained that by the accusatory method of policing, a suspect can be arrested and detained by the police upon reasonable suspicion of the commission of an offence before actual police investigation begins in earnest as opposed to the inquisitorial method of policing where actual investigation is began by the police upon the reasonable suspicion of the commission of a crime and at the end of which culprits are arrested and promptly arraigned in court.

According to him; "In Nigeria, our policing system is such that the police arrests and detains suspects first before actual investigation begins in earnest, such that suspects could easily be detained for days and months pending the conclusion of police investigation before they are either charged to court or are released on monetary bail conditions depending on their culpability.                                                        
He said that in the Nigerian context, the accusatory system of policing will not only encourages monetary bail conditions but same will encourages human rights abuses ranging from unlawful arrest and detention, to police intimidation and harassment etc.

Ikimi maintained that the splitting the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) by the Inspector General Police, would escalate the already worsening human rights abuses already traceable to the Nigerian Police.

Quoting the police boss, he said that the operational unit of SARS would be charged with the task of arresting suspects that are suspected to have committed offences such as Murder, Kidnapping, Armed Robbery and other violent crimes nationwide.

Continuing, he said the police boss had explained that after such arrests are effected, suspects are handed over to the investigation unit which will begin investigation while suspects remain in custody for days and even months before they are either released on monetary bail conditions or are charged to court on holden charges in the Nigerian context depending on their level of culpability.

Ikimi however wondered how the splitting of SARS would stem down the tide of human rights abuses traceable to men of the Nigerian Police Force adding; "we are advocating for an inquisitorial system of policing for the Nigerian Police as same would be the right prescription to stemming down the present tide of monetary bail conditions to suspects and other human rights violations traceable to the Nigerian Police nationwide".