Mohammed Adamu, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police has dissolved the country’s special anti-robbery squad (SARS) with immediate effect.
In a press conference, Adamu said: “The special anti-robbery squad of the Nigerian Police (SARS) is hereby dissolved across all formations, the 36 states police commands and the federal capital territory where they currently exist.”
The move is prompted by days of protests across the country against alleged brutality by the controversial unit.
The protests broke out in recent days after a video circulated last week alleging to show members of the unit – known as SARS – shooting dead a man in Delta state.
It also prompted a globally-trending social media campaign to disband the group.
“The dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people,” a statement from the police said.
It added that the police was redeploying members of the unit and would announce a new strategy to tackle SARS’ remit of fighting armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crime.
A new policing arrangement
“All officers and men currently serving in the unit are to be redeployed with immediate effect. A new policing arrangement 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,” he said.
Adamu added, “a citizens and strategic stakeholders’ forum will be launched to provide and advise the police authority on issues touching on the general public.
“to deal with reported of crimes committed against citizens a team which will include civil society organisations would be constituted to investigate for transparency and the culprits would be punished.”
The unit’s alleged heavy-handed methods have for years drawn condemnation from Nigerians, particularly the young, who say SARS officers regularly target, beat and extort them.
On Sunday, Nigerian police used teargas to disperse hundreds of protesters in the capital Abuja, in a repeat of what witnesses said were similar events on Friday.
Police officials and politicians have said they were disbanding or reforming the group multiple times in recent years, though with little visible change, critics say.
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