Lagos State Police Commissioner, Edgal Imohimi is set to overhaul the state crime-fighting machinery with the inauguration of a committee to reorganise Special Anti-Robbery and Anti-Kidnapping and Cultism Squads.

Inaugurating the 11-member committee, Imohimi said that restructuring the crime-fighting units was vital to achieving his goal of reducing criminality to the barest minimum in Lagos State.

The action is in line with the directives of the Inspector-General of Police that all police investigating units should be restructured to discharge their duties in line with international best practices and standards of policing.

The Police Commissioner explained that the new panel would look into the operations of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and the Anti-Kidnapping Squad of the Lagos State Police Command.

He said that the committee would review the present and past activities of SARS, Anti-Kidnapping and Anti-Cultism units and recommend ways to make them more efficient and professional.

Imohimi urged the committee to look into all allegations of human rights abuses against officers and men of the units and give recommendations to prevent reoccurrence.

He also requested the body to profile personnel currently posted to the units and determine their suitability to continue in the unit.

The committee is to make recommendations and suggestions for immediate training of officers and men of the units on principles and tenets of fundamental human rights and rule of law.

“The recommendations of the committee is aimed at stopping worrisome issues like investigation of civil matters, torture, illegal detentions, safety and custody of exhibits, welfare of suspects and molestation,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the committee, which included Oditah Sunday, President of Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria, and headed by Mr Samuel Agbebuyi, a retired Commissioner of Police, has two weeks to submit its report.

Imohimi urged the public to send memoranda to the committee via email bolajislm@yahoo.com, effy3uyah@gmail.com, or through WhatsApp on 08033011644, 08033108820 and 08125151772 or to the nearest Area Command and Divisional Police station.

Responding, Agbebuyi thanked the police command for giving the committee the opportunity to serve and assured that it would come up with recommendations worthy of emulation by other states.

Other members of the committee are DCP Bolaji Salami of the State CID as well as ACP Abiodun Alamutu and ACP Olatunji Disu of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS).

Others are CSP Effiong Asuquo, CSP Adebola Ojugbele, CSP Sanusi Mohammed (O/C SARS), CSP Anthony Okosun (O/C Anti-Kidnapping), SP Kehinde Johnson-Oni (O/C Anti-Cultism) and Mr Stanley Imhanruor from Femi Falana Chambers. (NAN)

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