Tayo Olanipekun
An online poll on the operations of the Nigeria Police and its Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS) unit has had 89 per cent of its participants rate the Force performance “Extremely Low.”
The survey, in which 1,031 persons have so far participated on Wednesday, also put the ratings of the security agency at one per cent “Above Average,” two per cent “Average” and eight per cent “Below Average.”
Nigerians, Segun Awosanya (@segalink) and Opeyemi Babalola (@CACCOT1), have recently been leading a #EndSARS campaign on Twitter to beam a searchlight into the activities of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police, with many respondents narrating their ordeals and those of their relatives during various encounters with the security operatives.
During the campaign, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idriss, also approved the request by the National human Rights Commission (NHRC) to commence an independent audit of detention cells in all police commands and formations in Nigeria, including those being used by FSARS.
According to a statement, the visits of NHRC will enable it oversee the human rights situation of the detanees and to “undertake general audit of the state of the police detention facilities in the country.”
Many Twitter users who related their experiences via photos and videos said their arrests and detention after random stops and searches were without any offence and they were made to part with money before being left off the hook by SARS.
The poll still has about two days and six hours left to be concluded as at press time.
It is recalled that during an interactive session on Tuesday, the Edo State Commissioner of police, Haliru Gwando, said SARS operatives are not directed to stop and search.
He said “the mandate of the FSARS is enourmous, to tackle violent crimes, armed robbery, kidnapping, cattle rustling, etc.
“The FSARS are not directed by anybody to stop and search except there is a distress call for them to nip in the bud such crime.”
