The police said this is geared towards ensuring that the protest is peaceful. While speaking to newsmen in Abuja today July 26, Egbetokun said the organisers are also expected to provide measures to prevent hijacking by criminal elements, as well as key identifiers for possible isolation of potential troublemakers.

“We acknowledge the constitutional right of Nigerian citizens to peaceful assembly and protest. However, in the interest of public safety and order, we urge all groups planning to protest to provide necessary details to the Commissioner of Police in the state where the protest is intended to take place. To facilitate a successful and incident-free protest, they should please provide the following information: state the proposed protest routes and assembly points; expected duration of the protest; and names and contact details of protest leaders and organisers.”

He said by providing the information, the police will be able to deploy adequate personnel and resources to ensure public safety.

He also said the police needed to know the specific routes and areas for the protest to avoid conflicts with other events or activities.

Other guidelines, as issued by Egbetokun, include; “Establish clear communication channels with protest leaders to address any concerns or issues that may arise; minimise the risk of violence, property damage, or other criminal activity. We encourage all protesters to cooperate with the police, obey the law, and adhere to global best practices for peaceful assembly to guarantee a safe and successful exercise of their rights.”

The police high command, on Monday, revealed that the committee’s mandate would encompass a thorough assessment of current firearms licensing procedures and regulations, to enhance their effectiveness, transparency, and accountability.

The Force Headquarters also said the police will engage with relevant stakeholders, including legal experts, civil society organisations, and experts in the field, to ensure a holistic and well-informed review.

The Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed in an official correspondence on Monday.

Adejobi said, “Similarly, in furtherance of his zeal to tackle all forms of insecurity in the country, the IG has issued a stern warning to all individuals involved in the wrongful possession of arms and light weapons, reiterating that illegal proliferation of firearms and light weapons poses a significant threat to the peace and stability of our nation.

“In light of this, the Nigeria Police Force is resolutely determined to combat the illegal fabrication, sales, possession and use of arms emphasising that possessing firearms without the appropriate licenses and permits is not only a violation of the law but also a grave danger to society. He assured that the Nigeria Police Force will spare no effort in pursuing and prosecuting those engaged in these illegal activities to the full extent of the law.

“The Inspector General of Police has charged all state Commissioners of Police and supervising Assistant Inspectors-General of Police in charge of Zonal Commands, and tactical squads to commence a total clampdown on the illegal fabrication, sale, possession, and use of prohibited firearms in the country.

InsideOjodu repoeted on Thursday that the NPF had filed a suit at the Federal High Court in Abuja praying for an order to stop the various states’ judicial panels of enquiry probing allegations of rights abuses and other acts of the brutality of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other police tactical units.

The suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1492/2020, urged the court to restrain the Attorneys-General of the 36 states of the federation and their various panels of enquiry from going ahead with the probe focussing on police impunity.

But, the NPF on Friday filed a notice of discontinuance by a lawyer to the NPF, Festus Ibude.

“Take notice that the plaintiff herein intends to and doth hereby wholly withdraws its suit against all the defendants,” the notice reads.

There have been several criticism following this suit for attempting to stop the investigations.

This led to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, directing immediate investigation into the lawsuit.

They made the call through an ad hoc committee set up by the House to look into the ongoing protest.

The IGP is to appear before the special panel on October 22, 2020.

The panel will also conduct town hall meetings across the country to hear from Nigerians on the matter.

Thousands of Nigerians have been protesting for the last one week against police brutality, harassment and ex-judicial killings across the country.

Details later…

The dissolvent of the police unit is coming after several days of online and offline protests against the brutality and extra-judicial killings by SARS operatives nationwide.

The Inspector-General disclosed this in a live broadcast on Sunday afternoon at the Force Headquarters in Abuja.

According to Adamu, the operatives will be redeployed to other police formations and commands.

“The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force otherwise known as SARS is hereby dissolved in all the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory,” the IGP said.

Adamu, however, stated that a new policing arrangement to replace the now-defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad will be announced “in due course”.

The protesters were carrying placards emblazoned with different inscriptions like #EdnSARSNow, WeDontNeedSARS etc and were raucously chanting.

With many Police officers barricading them from entering the headquarters, the protesters demanded for the presence of IGP Adamu.

They were calling President Muhammdu Buhari’s name, urging him to end SARS now.

Recall that Adamu had informed Nigerian youths that their voices and complaints on the issues of unprofessional conducts by some SARS operatives have been heard very loudly and clearly.

On that note he banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc – with immediate effect.

Adamu, who gave an update on cases of sexual violence reported in parts of the country, disclosed this while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday.

The IGP noted that within five months, the Police have recorded 717 rape incidents, arrested 799 rape suspects.

According to him, 631 cases have been conclusively investigated and charged to court while 52 cases are still under investigation.

Adamu gave the briefing alongside the Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen, and the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed.

CP Odumosu is taking over from AIG Zubairu Muazu who was recently promoted from Commissioner of Police to Assistant Inspector General of Police and posted to Force Headquarters Abuja as AIG in charge of the Counter-Terrorism Unit.

A statement from the spokesperson of the state police command, Bala Elakan, says the new Commissioner has vast experience in operations, investigations, and administration.

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Muhammad Adamu, urged the newly deployed Commissioners of Police (CP) to work with relevant stakeholders in preventing crime in their areas of deployment.