The Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR), Lagos State Chapter has reacted formally to the ongoing nationwide public protestations against Police brutality tagged: #ENDSARS protests in the country.
The Institute, in its first official reactions to the to the youth led public protests commended the President Mohammad Buhari led administration for its prompt action of disbanding the Police Special Anti- Robbery Unit (SARS) and called for immediate and total restructuring of the Police to meet the yearnings of the general public.
The Chairman, Lagos State Chapter of the institute, Olesegun MacMedal, who made known the institute position said the Institute vehemently opposed acts of harassments and intimidation of harmless and innocent citizenry by personnel of the Nigerian Police force and called for immediate end to continued use of brutal force by Police.
Mcmedal, reacting to the widespread youth led agitations in Lagos and other parts of the country, said there is the need for further boosting of the Police Public Relations departments in the country and fortify them with qualified professionals to counsel the system leadership and project the image of the Force and manage its communication during crisis.
He noted that the incessant incidence of police brutality was worrisome and has dented the image of the force and the country. The institute boss, whilst noting that the recorded case of police harassment and brutality of innocent youths had become rampant mostly in the Southern part of the country, especially Lagos, and called for restraint on the part of the police in the process of discharging their constitutional duties.
The Chairman, however appealed to Nigerians especially the youths to be law abiding, maintaining peace and order, no matter the provocation. Mcmedal also commended President Mohammed Buhari for moving swiftly to dissolve the controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in compliance with the yearnings and agitation of Nigerians, home and abroad, and the Governor of Lagos, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for demonstrating tact and wisdom in addressing the end SARS agitators in the State.
In addition, he called on government at all levels, not to stop at dissolving SARS, but to take further steps in restructuring the entire system, reorient and retrain its personnel to restore people’s confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
According to him, “The restructuring we are advocating is not superficial, but one that goes deeper into changing the negative perception of the Nigerian Police Force. We also call for upward review of their salaries and welfare packages including increased funding of the Force. This should be treated as a matter of national emergency.
We seize this opportunity to call on well-meaning Nigerians including corporate organisations to throw their weights behind this call. ”He also calls for the boosting of the Police Public Relations units with qualified professionals to counsel the system leadership and project the image of the Force and manage its communication during crisis.
