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Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
As the #EndSARS protest continued across the country, the United Kingdom, has disclosed efforts it had made to reform the police in the country.
This was even as the United Kingdom said it had never provided any support or training to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) units or officers in the country.
The United Kingdom further recalled that it championed law and order reform in Nigeria and even supported the Bureau of Public Service Reform’s roundtable meeting on SARS reform in 2018.
United Kingdom Minister for Africa, James Duddridg, in a series of tweets yesterday, said the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the Government of the United Kingdom’s Conflict, Security and Stability Fund, was designed to protect and promote human rights across the world.
Duddridge also said the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund of the United Kingdom’s programmes tackled instability and prevent conflict.
Duddridge said: “In Nigeria, we are supporting police reform and countering organised crime.
“Great Britain continues to work with the Nigerian Government and international partners and NGOs to support police reform in Nigeria.
“This does not provide and has not provided any support or training to SARS units or officers.
“The UK has championed law and order reform. We supported the Bureau of Public Service Reform’s roundtable meeting on SARS reform in 2018 and backed @NhrcNigeria’s public hearing on the SARS abuses in 2019.”
The United Kingdom Minister for Africa further said as the British High commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing said, Great Britain will continue to engage constructively with the Nigerian Government to ensure vital police reform.
“The UK fully supports the right to protest peacefully + welcomes President Buhari’s decision to disband the SARS,” Duddridge also said.
