* Operatives to be redeployed
*Atiku, Kalu hail police boss
Apparently responding to a whirlwind of public fury, the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, announced on Sunday the immediate disbandment of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).
Adamu made the announcement at a press conference in Abuja.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba, disclosed via a statement that the officers of the squad will be redeployed with immediate effect.
The full statement below:
In the finest spirit of democratic, citizen-centred and community policing, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has today, 11th October, 2020, dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) across the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they hitherto existed.
The IGP, while noting that the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people, observes that by this dissolution, all officers and men of the now defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad are being redeployed with immediate effect.
The IGP notes that the Force is not oblivious of the ever present need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country which was before now the core mandate of the erstwhile Squad. He assures that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS would cause has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.
Meanwhile, as part of measures to prevent a re-occurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS, a Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public.
In addition, the Force is constituting an Investigation Team which shall include Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Bodies to work with the Police in investigating alleged cases of human rights violations. The measure, the IGP believes, will enhance transparency and accountability in police services as well as providing a system of deterrence for erring police officers whose action clearly violates the rights of the citizenry.
The IGP appreciates and commends all citizens particularly those who genuinely express their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organized, patriotic and civil manner. He reaffirms the determination of the Force to bequeath to the country a Police Force and System that is professional in service delivery and most importantly, accountable to the people.
Meanwhile, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has paid tribute to Nigerian youths for their resilience in exerting pressure on police authorities to disband the FSARS in response to public agitations to end abuses by the anti robbery squad.
“This was the right thing to do. A system that brutally eliminates our youths is not one to hold on to, and neither can we be proud of it. Now we can start on a clean sheet to envision an elite police unit similar to the SWAT and a comprehensive overhaul of the police and policing system that peoples-focused”, Atiku said in a statement by his media office on Sunday.
According to Atiku, the will of the people is the bulwark of the democratic system and those in authority cannot ignore the will of the people without undermining democracy itself.
He, however, noted that redeploying the bad eggs in SARS to other units may not augur well as they are capable of polluting those units. According to him, the affected officers need to be properly screened and retrained to ensure that they do not come into their new assignments with the same mindset for which the disbanded unit was notorious for.
The former VP proposed an independent judicial inquiry into the activities of SARS that will ensure justice for victims of extrajudicial killings and punishment for officers involved in such dastardly acts. He also suggested the opening of the dreaded SARS cells for scrutiny and stock taking of detainees.
He said that “the dissolution of SARS offers us an opportunity to envision a police and policing system that ensures the primacy of the interest of Nigerians”, adding that the envisaged comprehensive overhaul of the Police should take into consideration the needs of Regional, State and Council components.
He congratulated Nigerian youths on achieving their resolve and reminded them that if they stand united they can achieve much more. He enjoined them to be steadfast in ensuring good governance in an egalitarian society.
He commended the courage and patriotism of Nigerian youths that took to the streets and the social media to call for an end to the brutal abuses by SARS operatives.
Also, Chief Whip of the Senate and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Uzor Kalu, has hailed the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu for respecting the wishes of Nigerians on the recent call for the dissolution of Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS )
In a statement issued from his media office in Abuja, the Senate Chief Whip stated that the Inspector General of Police has, by his action, shown his concern for Nigerians especially the youths who have been accused, oppressed and subjected to all forms of abuse and brutality by some reckless members of the SARS
Kalu said he had in the past written privately to the IGP for a total reform of the SARS , adding that what Nigeria needs is a trusted police force which is guided by the respect and protection of the rights of Nigerian citizens.
He said: “Police must ensure that their actions are in accordance with the fundamental principles for the development of a just society. When people live in fear, they will be skeptical of what’s coming next in their lives and that is not right. Some of the SARS act with impunity. Many Nigerians have complained about how tensed they feel in check points even when they have their required papers.”
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