Following widespread protests across the nation and beyond, the Inspector-General of Police, MOHAMMED ADAMU, on Sunday disbanded the Special Anti-robbery Squad popularly called “SARS”.
The dissolution became necessary after widespread allegations of police brutality, extortion, extra-judicial killings and various forms of human rights violations and abuses by the members of SARS.
In his words: “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 who spoke at a Press conference on Sunday, however, noted that the current developments and the outcry by sections of Nigerian have remained under constant monitoring and due assessment by the government.
He also explained that government acknowledges the inalienable rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression.
Similarly, in a statement, the Force Public Relations Office, Force Headquarters, DCP FRANK MBA, said that “the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people”.
“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”.
The Force Headquarters however promised to put in place other reforms that would better combat crimes without violating the fundamental human rights of Nigerians.
