IGP scraps SARS after mass protests

The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday ordered #EndSARS now, declaring the dissolution of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police after days of persistent protest of brutality and extra-judicial killings by the unit.

IGP Adamu, in Abuja on Sunday, declared: “The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police, otherwise known as SARS, is hereby dissolved across all formations, the 36 state police command and the Federal Capital Territory where they currently exists.”

The IGP at a press conference where he announced the dissolution of SARS remarked that the current developments and outcry by sections of Nigerian have remained under constant monitoring and due assessment by the government.

He stated that the government acknowledges the inalienable rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression.

The Force Public Relations Office, Force Headquarters, DCP Frank Mba, also indicated in a statement that “the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people”.

Mba stated 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 assured that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps which the dissolution of SARS would cause has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.

SARS was formed in 1992 to combat armed robbery, kidnapping, and other violent crimes. However, there have been reported incidence of abuse of powers, human rights and extra-judicial killings which prompted wide protest ion Nigeria in the past few days, spreading to Europe and America.

The IGP has taken prompt action to forestall further embarrassment and pulling down the image of the Nigerian government by the protesters in the southern part of Nigeria and foreign countries.

There has been massive mobilization for further protests in Abuja on Monday. The scrapping of SARS by the IG would save that situation and end further protests.