Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has told Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad across the country to respect people’s rights or risk being sanctioned.

Idris who said membership of the Squad was voluntary, asked those who felt they could not cope with the reforms in the unit to opt out, as henceforth, any officer who detained any suspect beyond forty-eight hours without recourse to the court risked dismissal.

He read the riot act through the National Coordinator X-Squad, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amaechi Elumelu, at the Anambra State Police Command Headquarters, at a Public Lecture.

Idris said the FSARS was created to handle armed robbery and kidnapping cases alone, saying the new rule of engagement of the reformed SARS required officers of the unit to undergo medical examinations, especially mental and psychological tests.

According to him, a counseling Department had been put in place in the unit, saying operatives of FSARS are to be trained and retrained regularly to equip them with modern working knowledge and skills to perform optimally in line with international best practices.

“You’re barred from searching handsets and laptops of innocent citizens, unless the search is directly linked to a case or directed by IGP or any person or persons he so delegated.

“You’re prohibited from detaining any suspect beyond what the law says without recourse to the court.”

He said a custody management system had been introduced in the unit for purposes of documentation and access to information about criminal suspects.