Breaking: Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad scrapped

The notorious and ubiquitous Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) has been dissolved with immediate effect.

The lnspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, who announced this on Sunday, said by the pronouncement, the security unit ceased to exist in the 36 States Police Command and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

He said the disbandment was in the “finest spirit of democratic, citizen-centred and community policing.”

Persecondnews had reported that anti-SARS protest had rocked all states of Nigeria and some countries.

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 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.

“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,” Adamu said.

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 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 police chief said in a statement by Force spokesman, DCP Frank Mba and obtained by Persecondnews.

“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.”

Adamu restated the determination of the police  to bequeath to the country a Force and system that is professional in service delivery and most importantly, accountable to the people.