After days of public outcry and nationwide protests, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday, bowed to pressure and disbanded the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
He said a new policing arrangement to address armed robbery and other violent crimes that fall within the mandate of the dissolved tactical unit would be presented in due course.
Announcing the decision at the Force headquarters, Abuja on Sunday, Adamu acknowledged the inalienable rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression.
But the #EndSARS campaigners said they would not back down, insisting that the street rallies would continue until the President Muhammadu Buhari issued an Executive Order scrapping the police tactical unit.
One of the leaders of the protesters, Raphael Adebayo, said the IG was being “clever by half” with his announcement that the SARS had been dissolved, noting that the #EndSARS campaigners were not convinced by his statement.
The activist, who is a Co-convener of the Centre for Liberty, Abuja, advocated a total overhaul and reform of the Nigeria Police Force.
“We are not going to be fooled by the IG’s announcement. The President should either address Nigerians by announcing through an executive order, that he is disbanding the terrorist unit in the Nigeria Police Force or more protest would happen and it would continue to grow until the President takes responsibility.
“At the end of the day, this is deeper than ending SARS; this is about getting justice for all the people killed by SARS and the IG’s statement did not address that.”
Earlier at a press briefing, the IG had described the #EndSARS agitation as a manifestation of the natural desire of the citizens to participate in matters concerning policing and internal security in the nation.
The police boss disclosed that the clamour for the scrapping of the SARS as a unit in the Nigeria Police Force had been under constant monitoring and due assessment by the government.
Adamu said, “Following a review of the current developments and in due cognizance of the wide and legitimately-held concerns of well-meaning citizens on the existence and operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, as a responsive and citizens-oriented Police Force, it is hereby directed as follows:
“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police, otherwise known as SARS, is hereby dissolved across all Formations, the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory, where they currently exist.
“All officers and men currently serving in the unit are to be redeployed with immediate effect.
“New policing arrangements to address the offences of armed robbery, and other violent crimes that fall within the mandate of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad shall be presented in due course.”
The IG noted that a Citizens and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum would be formed to regularly interface with the leadership of the police at all levels and advise on police activities.
-Punch
