Disbandment of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) falls short of expectations- Amnesty International
It is an afterthought a subterranean attempt by the IGP to set up another anti robbery squad – HURIWA
APC accuses PDP of creating SARS, hails Buhari for its disbandment
Reactions have continued to pour in from different quarters over the announcement by the Inspector General of Police dissolving the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS,
Daybreak recallsl that following the nationwide protest against police brutality, Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector-General of Police, on Sunday ordered all officers and men of the now defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad to be redeployed with immediate effect.
In its reaction, Amnesty International Nigeria said the announcement by the IGP raises a lot of unanswered questions. Osai Ojigho, the Director, of Amnesty International Nigeria said Amnesty International is displeased and has listed its demands.
Ojigho said: “Today’s announcement by the IGP disbanding the infamous SARS falls short of demands for accountability and justice for abuses committed by the unit and the police in general.”
“Disbanding SARS must be supported by addressing the underlying issues that allowed impunity to thrive.”
AI is seeking immediate and unhindered access to SARS and other police detention centres by oversight bodies such as Police Service Commission, National Human Rights Commission, as well as lawyers and human rights defenders.
“Immediate investigation and prosecution of all police officers who have been accused of grave human rights violations such as extrajudicial executions, torture, and other ill-treatment.
“A clear and concise timeline for the implementation of the reforms to end police atrocities is key to safeguarding trust between Nigerians and the authorities”, Ojigho added.
Also reacting to the disbandment, HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) demanded that the Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari immediately constitutes several judicial commissions of Investigations on the activities of the now disbanded Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) and make recommendations on those to be prosecuted for crimes against humanity just as the Rights group said the statement that the members of disbanded SARS would be redeployed to other units of the police and then a team set up to investigate allegations of human rights violations by the operatives of the disbanded SARS should be taken as deception since nothing good will come from an adjudication process instituted by the same institution of the Nigerian Police Force accused of gross human rights violations just as the Rights group said it is inconceivable that the Police wants to be both the prosecutor and the judge in the case of extensive use of extralegal killing tactics against suspects by the operatives of SARS.
HURIWA dismissed the announcement as an afterthought and a subterranean attempt by the IGP to set up another SPECIAL ANTI ROBBERY SQUAD through deceptive approaches even as HURIWA asked the protesters to remain vigilant in case the Police hierarchy will simply RE-BAPTIZE THE NOW DISBANDED SARS.
Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko the National Coordinator and the National Media Affairs Director Miss Zainab Yusuf who jointly endorsed the media statement said it will be cosmetic and simplistic to just announce that SARS has been disbanded and that the members would be redeployed to other policing units across the Country just as the rights group said this step is not far reaching enough since it will amount to mixing up rotten eggs with semi-rotten and fairly good eggs in the larger Nigerian Police Force.
“We are not convinced that the politically correct public statement disbanding the notorious SARS by the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu will change anything. At best it’s like changing the colour of an old car and failing to overhaul the engine meaning that the vehicle will still be the same in substance and form. What should be done is for President Muhammadu Buhari in partnership with the Chief Justice of Nigeria Muhammad Tanko to set up Judicial Review Commissions to go round the different SARS killing fields to collate evidence-based statements and testimonies from victims of the brutality of the Police in camera, compile records and if possible to recruit forensic investigators to be embedded in the Judicial commissions of Investigations of activities of SARS so the killers of these detainees are named and arrested and prosecuted for the crimes against humanity that they committed. Honestly, this comical public show and theatre of the absurd by the police hierarchy to tell us that SARS has been disbanded is like a film trick in the Nollywood industry since these evil minded operatives being complained about will still be distributed to mix up with other police units across the Country “. The statement said.
APC blames PDP for creating SARS, hails Buhari
Also speaking on the disbandment spokesman for the ruling All Progressives Congress Yekini Nabena blamed the People’s Democratic Party for creating the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the police which was scrapped by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday.
Nabena, in a series of tweets on Sunday praised President Buhari for scrapping the outfit while blaming the PDP for its creation..
“Who created SARS? PDP,” Nabena tweeted.
Nabena, in a further statement signed on behalf of the APC, said the scrapping of SARS showed the resolve of the President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), to ensure police reforms.
He, therefore, called on civil society organisations and Nigerians as a whole to work with the IG to ensure that the reforms are holistic.
The APC spokesman wrote, “The APC welcomes the disbandment of the Special Anti Robbery Squad and views the responsive decision as a major and concrete step towards. President Muhammadu Buhari affirmed resolve to achieve better policing and necessary reforms.
“From the recent #BlackLivesMatter social movement to other global clamours for review of police operations particularly in regard to citizens they are empowered to protect, the need for police reforms in Nigeria is urgent and continuous.
“With benefit of experience and public outcry over the operations of the now disbanded SARS, the APC is confident that the new policing arrangement promised by the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, will balance the need to effectively combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country and ensure humane, professional and accountable police operations.
“We call on Nigerians to take advantage of the citizens’ and strategic stakeholders’ forum which is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public.”
