Police Deny Reviving SARS

Kingsley Nwezeh in Abuja

The police high command yesterday denied reports that it revived the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). There were reports that SARS was revived by police authorities and given new operational conditions.

The squad was disbanded following the #EndSARS protest stemming from its notorious conduct and involvement in extra-judicial killings, illegal arrests and brutality.

The police lost 39 personnel during the protest which was hijacked by hoodlums while considerable police infrastructure was destroyed.

The former Inspector General of Police (IG), Mr. Mohammed Adamu, had last year, set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to fill the gap created by the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

But a statement issued by Force Headquarters denied reviving the defunct police team and any such plan to bring it back.

The statement signed by Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police, said the force had since reorganised its operational structure to fill the vacuum created by the disbandment of SARS.

“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a false news report making the rounds online and offline suggesting that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the re-establishment of the defunct Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS).

“The Force wishes to categorially emphasise that there is no plan whatsoever to bring back the disbanded SARS. SARS is gone for good and will not resurrect under any guise whatsoever”, it said.

The statement noted that “the force has since reorganised its operational structure to fill the vacuum created by the disbandment of SARS. Currently, the leadership of the force is focused on efforts at deepening reforms within the police and bequeathing Nigerans a police force that will be more effective, efficient, technology-driven, humane and rule of law-compliant.

“The IG, therefore, calls on members of the public to disregard the report which is absolutely false and deliberately intended to disinform and misinform members of the public”.