Why SARS can not be scrapped —Police

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), on Friday said the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) cannot be scrapped, because they are deeply involved in the fight against the Boko Haram insurgents and bandits in the Northern part of the country.

The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba said this while appearing on a Channel Television programme, Sunrise Daily.

There have persistent calls for the scrapping of the outfit primarily saddled with combating armed robbery and other violent crimes in the country, with protests across the country over the harassment, extortion and extra-judicial killings of innocent Nigerians.

In reaction to the outrage, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, banned SARS personnel from engaging in routine patrols, stop-and-search, mounting of roadblocks and traffic checks with immediate effect.

Read also: Former IGP warns against banning SARS

These have however failed to appease the growing #ENDSARS movement, who are insisting that the outfit be scrapped out rightly.

Mba, however explained that the NPF under IGP Adamu was committed to reforming SARS.

“I have heard some critics say these instructions have been given before but I will challenge them to produce any other IGP that has given these instructions very clearly, articulated them very clearly as IGP Adamu has done,” Mba said.

He also appealed to the general public to give the Police some time for the full implementation of the IGP’s instructions, noting that different people have different motivations for calling for the end of SARS, but the Force would do everything possible to get rid of bad elements within SARS.

Mba said: “If #EndSARS is a metaphor and is seen as a call for a symbolic reform of SARS, I will say clearly that the leadership of the NPF is in line and is ready to work with those who are making that call.

“However, if the #EndSARS should be seen and interpreted as the total disbandment of SARS, I will tell you very clearly that it will be difficult for any responsible organisation to walk that path taking into cognisance the amount of investment that government has made in training and (in) setting up that department, (and) taking into cognisance the critical role that department is playing.

“As a matter of fact, we have also received a lot of calls from people, particularly in states like Yobe, Maiduguri (Borno), Katsina and other parts of the north where SARS operatives are deeply embedded in the fight against banditry, in the fight against insurgency.

“And these people have made it very clear that ending SARS is not even an option for them because of the critical roles that SARS operatives are playing in those areas to rein down heavily on bandits, on terrorists and other kinds of violent criminals.”

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