#EndSARS panel berates police for absence at sitting

Disregard fake recruitment portal, army warns

The #EndSARS Independent Investigative Panel, yesterday, expressed dismay that the police failed to appear before its sitting in Abuja.

It is investigating allegations of human rights violations by the defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and other notorious units of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Set up by the Federal Government in November 2020, following the #EndSARS protests, triggered by nationwide allegations of police brutality.

Secretary for the Abuja panel, Mr. Hillary Ogbonna, made the panel’s feeling known while briefing newsmen on the failure of police to be at the panel sitting, yesterday.

Ogbonna expressed surprise that none of the police officials needed was present at the panel despite efforts by the panel to deliver its assigned tasks at a stipulated period.

“If this non-punctuality attitude of the police becomes a pattern, it is capable of bringing setback to the mandate of the panel.

“The panel will continue to engage the police authority and other stakeholders to seek their cooperation to ensure that justice is done to the victims of police brutality. The record of the entire proceedings, especially today’s, will be given to the police without any charge,” he said.

The panel had reportedly adjourned sitting on December 23, 2021 and resumed on March 1, 2022.

IN another development, the Nigerian Army (NA) has warned Nigerians against falling prey to antics of fraudsters, who put up a fake recruitment portal online advertising recruitment of candidates into NA 83 Regular Recruit Intake.

Army spokesman, Brig-Gen. Onyema Nwachukwu, stated: “Following this unwholesome development, the NA wishes to clearly inform the general public that there is no ongoing recruitment, as published in the fake portal.

“The information is false, misleading and aimed at defrauding unsuspecting members of the public. The general public is, therefore, enjoined to be weary of fake online recruitment vendors, who are desperately hunting victims.”

He noted that recruitment advertisements by the army were usually published in national dailies.

“We advise members of the public to shun the portal in its entirety. The link to the fake portal in circulation is: https://recruitment.army.mil.ng/darrr,” he added.