Senate demands holistic reform of police, decries #ENDSARS mayhem

The Senate on Wednesday charged the Federal Government to undertake a holistic reform of the Nigerian Police Force.

This was one of the recommendations of the Joint Senate Committee on National Security and Intelligence; Defence; Police Affairs; Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters.

The upper legislative chamber set up the committee to look into the remote causes and effects of the October 2020 #ENDSARS protests in many parts of the country, particularly in Calabar, Cross River State.

The Chairman of the committee, Ibrahim Gobir, who presented the report at the plenary, said the #ENDSARS protests led to massive looting of properties in the Cross River State capital.

The report read: “It was a free reign for amorphous groups, gangs, and criminals.”

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The committee revealed that at least 41 government properties were vandalised during the protests at Calabar municipal and neighbouring Bakassi, Odukpani, and Akpabuyo Local Government Areas of the state.

It added: “At the time of the invasion of homes, the security agencies failed to promptly respond to distress calls from victims and several victims got hints of the planned attacks before the actual acts.

“The police, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) were overwhelmed by the sheer number of the hoodlums who unleashed mayhem on the city of Calabar.”

The committee attributed the poor response of the security agencies to the attacks to inadequate personnel, vehicles, arms, ammunition, and other tactical equipment.

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