Nigeria’s acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, has ordered the immediate overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, of the nation’s Police Force. This was sequel to the months of the street and social media protests against the police unit which has incurred the wrath of millions of people due to the ugly level of brutality exhibited by members of the squad.
In a statement on Tuesday, Prof. Osinbajo’s spokesman, Laolu Akande expatiated that, “Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the SARS that border on allegations of human rights violations, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, Acting-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS”.
The convener of the #EndSARS Movement on the social media, Segun Awosanya, said the order to overhaul the police unit was a welcome development. But he expressed concern about the implementation of the order and assured that his team would have to monitor it across the nation. The #EndSARS campaign began on social media to protest the activities of the police unit which have been accused of extortion, harassment, robbery, intimidation and extra-judicial killings.
There have also been public demonstrations for and against the continued existence of the dreaded anti-crime unit of the Nigeria Police Force. Akande said the government hoped to refocus the modes of operation of whatever unit that may emerge from the overhaul.
Akande stated that the new unit, “will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, as well as apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.”
