#EndSARS: Protesters Send Message To Buhari

Protesters have written to President Muhammadu Buhari, over the reconstitution of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission.

In the statement, signed by singer Folarin Falana, also known as Falz, the move by the Federal Government to create an independent investigation panel that will look into human rights violations by officers of the moribund Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was redundant, as the National Human Rights Commission was sufficient to look into the matter.

It quoted the Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina, words, "The Forum agrees to the setting up of this independent panel by the National Human Rights Commission within the next one week;" adding that the National Human Rights Commission was empowered by the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act 2010 section 5 to investigate "alleged cases of human rights violations in Nigeria".

The statement noted that there was no need to set up any other panel, as the National Human Rights Commission could "look into these cases by itself".

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According to the statement, the National Human Rights Commission needs to have a Governing Council, as stated under Section 2 of the National Human Rights Commission (Amendment) Act, with the presence of:

- A chairman who shall be a retired Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria or the Court of Appeal or a retired judge of the High Court of a state;

- A representative each of the following Federal ministries: i) Justice; ii)Foriegn Affairs; iii) Internal Affairs;

- Three representatives of registered human rights organisations in Nigeria;

- Two legal practitioners who shall not have less than ten years post qualifications experience;

- Three representatives of the media, at least, two of whom shall be from the private sector;

- Three other persons to represent a variety of interests; and

- The executive secretary of the Commission.

The statement pointed out that the National Human Rights Commission was still void of a Governing Council since 2015, which has led to an increase in the number of human rights violations in the country.

It added that a failure of the government to heed the request would demonstrate "that the continuous refusal to re-constitute the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission and to do so publicly as well as transparently in order to restore the confidence of young Nigerians in your proposed police reform process."