#EndSARS: IGP bows to protesters, scraps squad

THE Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has announced the disbandment of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.

.This decision came on the heels of a wave of protests that swept across many states, especially in the southern part.
The protesters had vowed to continue with the protests until their demand to get SARS scrapped is met

The protests were organised against the brutality and extra-judicial killings by SARS operatives nationwide.

But in a live broadcast this afternoon, Adamu announced the dissolution of SARS

He said the operatives will be redeployed to other police formations and commands.

At the briefing, the IGP said, “The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force otherwise known as SARS is hereby dissolved in all the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory.”

The statement titled, ‘IGP Dissolves The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)’, partly read, “In the finest spirit of democratic, citizen-centred and community policing, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has today, 11th October, 2020, dissolved the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) across the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they hitherto existed.”

The IGP, while noting that the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people, observes that by this dissolution, all officers and men of the now-defunct Special Anti-robbery Squad are being redeployed with immediate effect.

“The IGP notes that the Force is not oblivious of the ever-present need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country which was before now the core mandate of the erstwhile Squad.” the statement added.

The briefing was immediately followed by a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba.