NATIONAL: IGP disowns suit seeking dissolution of #EndSARS panels

*Police boss queries Force legal officer over action

THE Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has disowned the suit challenging the legality of the states’ judicial panels of inquiry investigating allegations against officers of the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.

He directed an immediate investigation into the lawsuit and the alleged role of the Force Legal Section, including its head, CP Tuesday Assayomo.

In a statement on Thursday, Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba disclosed that the management did not authorise the legal challenge.

According to the statement, the IG also expressed the disapproval of the Force Management Team on the matter.

The police had in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, filed before the Federal High Court, Abuja, sought to stop the judicial panels from probing allegations of police brutality.

Police lawyers, led by Oyetola Atoyebi (SAN), said states had no powers to hear allegations of wrongdoings against police officers, noting that only the Nigeria Police Force could handle personnel issues.

The Force described the probe as “a violation of the provisions of Section 241 (1)(2) (a) and Item 45, Part 1, First schedule, 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) and Section 21 of the Tribunals of Inquiry Act, Cap.T21, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.”

But the statement released by MBA disclosed that Assayomo, who had been queried, might face further sanctions if found guilty of dereliction of duty.

The statement was titled: ‘EndSARS: IGP orders investigation into alleged suit touching on states’ judicial panels of inquiry’.

It read in part, “The IGP reiterates the commitment of the Force to fulfilling all its obligations with regards to the disbandment of the defunct SARS, the ongoing judicial panels and all other police reforms.”

The decision to set up judicial panels across the country was taken by the members of National Economic Council, comprising all the state governors of  and the vice president in the wake of of the agitation against police brutality tagged #EndSARS protest.