…Officers will now wear name tag for easy identification
By Dele Ogbodo
Away from its hitherto ‘culture’ of mixing its uniform with civilian dress, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, has instructed that operatives of the Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad (FSARS), will now wear full police uniform that carries their full identity with a tag.
The IG who was represented by Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, Mr. Habila Joshak, made the disclosure at the ongoing overhaul of the FSARS in conjunction with a wider stakeholders.
Jimoh Moshood, the Force PRO in a signed statement said the Commissioner of Police FSARS, Commissioner of Police, Haliru Gwandu, Segun Awosanya, Convener of #EndSARS, the Head of Universal Institutional Reform Advocacy Foundation, Dr. Femi Amosun, Prof. Olu Ogunsakin represented by Ayo Omotade, Mr Asekome Oteiku, Director Legal/Admin International Human Rights Protection, Ayo Akani, Team from Lincoln Carter Foundation and DCP Amaechi Elumelu in charge of the IGP’s X-Squad attended the meeting.
He acknowledged that the overhaul of SARS was beyond rhetoric, stressing that real reform was taking place with the policy hierarchy. He ordered that Federal SARS operatives had been ordered not to attend to civil or commercial matters again, as they are now to strictly concentrate on armed robbery and kidnapping cases.
He said Human Rights desk will be created in every state across the country to address cases of infractions against members of the public by FSARS personnel.
DCP, Elumelu, in his contribution said: “Police will now involve the services of psychologists and counselors in the ongoing screening of FSARS operatives.
“The screening and mobilization of FSARS operatives would not be business as usual again, pointing out that anyone who would become an operative would go through rigorous orientation.”
The DCP said the custody records management system which is being set up soon be unveiled by the IG.
He explained that this system would contain the records of arrests, detentions and welfare details of suspects, noting that this system would discourage arbitrary arrest of people, and ensure that suspects are charged to court within 24 hours according to the law.