Former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Timi Frank, on Sunday, appealed to the government of the United States of America (USA), United Kingdom (UK) and the European Union (EU) to impose VISA restrictions on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, his deputies and assistants over their refusal to disband the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Frank in a statement in Abuja said the call became imperative to restore civility and decorum to the activities of the Nigeria Police in their dealings with innocent citizens.
He said that he is optimistic that such visa restrictions would compel the police hierarchy to disband SARS, bring sanity to policing in Nigeria and enable innocent Nigerians to breath.
He insisted that members of the police Officers providing official cover for heinous crimes being committed by the SARS must be identified, prosecuted and dismissed after due investigation.
“Just like the visa restrictions on election riggers in Kogi and Bayelsa States helped to ensure a free, fair and credible election in Edo State recently, we are convinced that a similar action from members of the international community will make the police authorities in Nigeria to heed the international outcry against the atrocities of SARS and calls for its urgent disbandment,” he said.
He called on President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry where victims of SARS’ torture, extortion and the family of those killed extra-judicially can seek redress and SARS operatives found culpable punished according to law.
He condemned the Senate President Ahmad Lawan for saying SARS should not be banned despite their manifest impunity towards Nigerians.
He urged the 9th National Assembly to rise up and defend the rights of Nigerians that voted them into office in the face of daily harassment by the SARS.
“Lawan, apparently, has lost touch with reality to think that his sentimental cum window dressing solution is enough to tame the heinousness of the SARS’ operatives who appear to have sold their souls to the devil. The Senate President’s suggested reform of SARS is delusional at best.
“The intervention of the National Assembly must go beyond rhetoric and half-hearted gyrations in their chambers. The lives of the people that elected them are in grave danger of greedy SARS’ operatives.
“They cannot afford to engage in delay tactics through bogus probes. Nigerians need to see true and passionate action to disband SARS and all other tactical outfits of the police whose activities are inimical to the peace and security of the people,” Frank said.
He also called on the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Maigari Dingyadi and the Chairman of the Police Service Commission (PSC), Musiliu Smith, to wake up from their slumber in the face of egregious acts by the SARS of the police against members of the public.
He commended Nigerian celebrities, activists, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) and average Nigerians who have taken it upon themselves to shine the light on the GESTAPO and horrific tendencies of the SARS in spite of police brutality against them.
He also lauded international celebrities and human rights bodies like the Amnesty International for joining in the campaign of #EndSARS in order to preserve human lives and rights of Nigerians.
He urged the international community to pressurize the Federal Government until SARS is disbanded in view of the outfits’ barbarity and impunity towards Nigerians.
He also urged the ever vibrant Nigerian youths who have been at the receiving end of the high handedness of SARS not to stop their protests until the walls of SARS fall flat in Nigeria and the aggressors rooted out in the Malian style.
