Amnesty International Lauds Overhauling Of SARS, Urges Robust Reforms

Related stories

Oil Prices Dip as OPEC+ Boosts Supply

Crude oil prices fell at the start of...

Ranked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025

Key Takeaways The Venezuelan bolívar has fallen the most...

Our Officers Deployed To Maintain Order Not To Prevent PDP NEC Meeting — Police

By Kolawole Ojebisi The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has...

Don’t Let Ganduje’s Resignation Divide Us, Dalori Appeals To APC NWC Members, Others

By Kolawole Ojebisi Acting National Chairman of the ruling All...

APC To Hold NEC Meeting On July 24

By Kolawole Ojebisi The ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC) has...

By Augustine Osayande

Amnesty International Nigeria on Tuesday described the directive of Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for an immediate overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit as a positive development. The International Human Right Watch also called on the Nigeria government to ensure that the reform is robust.

Responding to news that Director of Amnesty International Nigeria Osai Ojigho said this is an overdue yet hugely important move by Acting President Osinbajo. She added that the growing outcry over the brutality of Nigeria’s notorious SARS police unit has finally got the attention of the country’s authorities.

“While this is positive news, it is crucial that any overhaul of SARS is far-reaching and immediately effective. Restructuring SARS is not enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians.

“The reform ordered by the Acting President must translate into ending the serious human rights violations, such as torture and extrajudicial executions that SARS officers have been committing for years across Nigeria. That includes bringing to justice SARS officers found to have committed such atrocities.

“There is much compelling public evidence of human rights violations committed by SARS, some of it directly documented by Amnesty International, and this should now be used to aid an effective investigation into the unit’s crimes
.
“The special panel convened to investigate SARS must be independent and impartial. Its aims can only be achieved if victims are given time and protection to present their cases.” Ojigho said

In September 2016, an Amnesty International report highlighted gross violations by SARS, including torture and other forms of ill-treatment. The report prompted assurances from the Nigerian authorities that SARS would be reformed, yet shocking violations committed by the unit have continued.

'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide
'Dotun Akintomide's journalism works intersect business, environment, politics and developmental issues. Among a number of local and international publications, his work has appeared in the New York Times. He's a winner of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) Award. Currently, the Online Editor at The New Diplomat, Akintomide has produced reports that uniquely spoke to Nigeria's experience on Climate Change issues. When Akintomide is not writing, volunteering or working on a media project, you can find him seeing beautiful sites like the sandy beaches that bedecked the Lagos coastline.

Subscribe

- Never miss a story with notifications

- Gain full access to our premium content

- Browse free from up to 5 devices at once

[tds_leads input_placeholder="Your email address" btn_horiz_align="content-horiz-center" pp_msg="SSd2ZSUyMHJlYWQlMjBhbmQlMjBhY2NlcHQlMjB0aGUlMjAlM0NhJTIwaHJlZiUzRCUyMiUyMyUyMiUzRVByaXZhY3klMjBQb2xpY3klM0MlMkZhJTNFLg==" pp_checkbox="yes" tdc_css="eyJhbGwiOnsibWFyZ2luLXRvcCI6IjMwIiwibWFyZ2luLWJvdHRvbSI6IjQwIiwiZGlzcGxheSI6IiJ9LCJwb3J0cmFpdCI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMTUiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMjUiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sInBvcnRyYWl0X21heF93aWR0aCI6MTAxOCwicG9ydHJhaXRfbWluX3dpZHRoIjo3NjgsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6eyJtYXJnaW4tdG9wIjoiMjAiLCJtYXJnaW4tYm90dG9tIjoiMzAiLCJkaXNwbGF5IjoiIn0sImxhbmRzY2FwZV9tYXhfd2lkdGgiOjExNDAsImxhbmRzY2FwZV9taW5fd2lkdGgiOjEwMTksInBob25lIjp7Im1hcmdpbi10b3AiOiIyMCIsImRpc3BsYXkiOiIifSwicGhvbmVfbWF4X3dpZHRoIjo3Njd9" display="column" gap="eyJhbGwiOiIyMCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTAiLCJsYW5kc2NhcGUiOiIxNSJ9" f_msg_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_input_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_btn_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_family="downtown-serif-font_global" f_pp_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_weight="700" f_btn_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTEifQ==" f_btn_font_transform="uppercase" btn_text="Unlock All" btn_bg="#000000" btn_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxOCIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjE0IiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxNCJ9" input_padd="eyJhbGwiOiIxNSIsImxhbmRzY2FwZSI6IjEyIiwicG9ydHJhaXQiOiIxMCJ9" pp_check_color_a="#000000" f_pp_font_weight="600" pp_check_square="#000000" msg_composer="" pp_check_color="rgba(0,0,0,0.56)" msg_succ_radius="0" msg_err_radius="0" input_border="1" f_unsub_font_family="downtown-sans-serif-font_global" f_msg_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxMyIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_size="eyJhbGwiOiIxNCIsInBvcnRyYWl0IjoiMTIifQ==" f_input_font_weight="500" f_msg_font_weight="500" f_unsub_font_weight="500"]

Latest stories

NDN
Latest News
Oil Prices Dip as OPEC+ Boosts SupplyRanked: The Biggest Currency Drops So Far in 2025Our Officers Deployed To Maintain Order Not To Prevent PDP NEC Meeting -- PoliceDon't Let Ganduje's Resignation Divide Us, Dalori Appeals To APC NWC Members, OthersAPC To Hold NEC Meeting On July 24Bode George Warns Tinubu, Decries Police Occupation Of PDP SecretariatClosing Ogoni wounds, opening old onesMy CFR National Honours Award, By Col Abubakar D. Umar (Retd)Chaos Escalate As PDP Shifts BoT Meeting to New Venue Amid Police Siege at Party SecretariatPDP Crisis Deepens As 11 NWC Members Ignore Damagum, Hold NEC MeetingNEC Meeting: Tension Mounts As Police Take Over PDP Secretariat In Abuja2027: Peter Obi Declares Readiness for One-Term Presidency in Atiku, El-Rufai-Led CoalitionShun Sycophants In Your Government, Col Umar Tells TinubuCourt Adjourns Natasha's Trial Till September 22, Grants Senator Bail On Self-RecognitionNEC Meeting: PDP Raises Alarm, Accuses APC of Taking Over Secretariat with Police
X whatsapp