Again, Lawan assures NASS will ensure justice for victims of SARS brutality

Senate President Ahmed Lawan, on Monday reassured that the National Assembly (NASS) would ensure victims of alleged brutality by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) got justice.

In a statement he released in Abuja, Lawan also promised that the federal lawmakers would collaborate with the executive arm to fulfill the demand of the EndSARS protesters for the reform of the police and an end to bad governance.

Lawan said, “I want to re-assure our youths that the NASS will collaborate with the Executives to ensure justice for victims of misconduct and rights abuses by personnel of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police.

“In the same vein, to discourage impunity, we will insist that the perpetrators of the alleged abuses be prosecuted and sanctioned as appropriate.

“We will also work with the Executive to ensure that the five-point demands of the #ENDSARS protesters, which the government has committed itself to, are fully implemented.”

Though Lawan regretted that the EndSARS protest was hijacked by hoodlums, who “unleashed horrifying violence, arson, looting and wanton destruction of public and private property in the country,” he, however, assured that the lawmakers were fully committed to putting the necessary legislation in place for comprehensive reform of the police to enhance their institutional integrity and efficiency.

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“As we seek a path out of this regrettable crisis, my heart goes out to the victims of the reprehensible violence and criminality witnessed in the last few days in many parts of the country.

“I send my condolences to the families of our security and law enforcement agents who have made the supreme sacrifices in the course of their service to their fatherland.

“I call for a thorough investigation of every criminal act that we have witnessed in the past few weeks with a view to bringing to justice all those elements that have callously destroyed public and private properties,’’ he said.

Lawan called on the youths to “leave the streets as the government has heard their voices and addressing their grievances to avoid unwittingly providing covers for the criminals and fifth columnists in our midst.”

For the hoodlums, he said the security agencies should restore law and order but must make sure they do so with the utmost restraint.

He added, “While still grappling with the havoc of COVID-19, the country can ill afford yet another epidemic that has now appeared in the form of the lawlessness that is going on.

“I thank all Nigerian leaders and other well-meaning Nigerians for their interventions towards restoring peace and order after the unfortunate degeneration of the protest into chaos and brigandage in many parts of the country.”

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