Human rights activist, Femi Falana, SAN, has said that the Federal government has been insincere about reforming special police unit Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner of Police and Nigeria Police Force Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba said yesterday that SARS cannot be scrapped owing to its effectiveness in combating criminality and deadly criminal gangs in the country.
However, Mba disclosed that the Police was currently reforming the Squad in order to curb their excesses.
“What we need to do is to reform SARS and make them responsive, responsible and work in accordance with laid down procedures.
“We need them to continue to respond to violent crimes. We need them to continue to respond to armed robberies. We need them to continue to respond to kidnappings.”
Nigerian artiste popularly known as Naira Marley, Azeez Fashola, spoke with the DCP during a live Instagram chat where he said that SARS cannot be scrapped but reformed.
Naira Marley had planned a demonstration against SARS’ excesses and molestations but then cancelled. The demonstration was billed for Tuesday.
In conversation, DCP Mba advised Nigerians to take video recordings of SARS operatives who abuse their fundamental human rights “as long as it is safe to do so.” He also restated that the IGP of Police has banned SARS officers from engaging in stop and search, traffic checks and routine patrols immediately.
Naira Marley agreed with the reform saying “SARS is a special arm that should only come out during robbery incidents.
“You talk about end SARS, you cannot end SARS but let us ask for reform. Why do you want to end SARS? Are you an armed robber?” he challenged.
Further, he urged the police to give updates on the SARS officers arrested and also compensate families of their victims.
However, Alliance for Survival of COVID-19 and Beyond (ASCAB) led by Femi Falana, said that it was not the first time that the police would issue orders banning SARS but each time, the officers would be back on the streets tormenting people.
“The police high command has banned SARS several times. It has become a ritual. But SARS continues to operate under different names or structure. What we see is like removing sour wine and putting it in the same old, rusty bottles. Nothing remarkable has changed in the police command structure that aids all forms of repression and extra-judicial killings,” ASCAB said.
ASCAB also recalled the Presidential Panel of Inquiry set up in 2018 following public outcry against indiscriminate arrests and extrajudicial killings by SARS operatives. Recommendations made were not implemented in 2020 despite clear evidence of police abuse.
Some of the recommendations include dismissal of 37 police officers from the force, prosecution of 24 others, investigation of 22 officers involved in the violation of human rights of innocent citizens, payment of compensation of various sums in 45 complaints and tender of public apologies in five complaints and compliance with court orders in five matters.
Another recommendation asked that SARS be renamed to Anti-Robbery Section (ARS) which should operate under the intelligence unit of the police force.
The group expressed sadness that although the recommendations were accepted by President Mohammadu Buhari on June 3, 2019, nothing has been done about it.
“The Inspector-General of Police and the Solicitor-General of the federation/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice were mandated to engage the National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, for a strategy of implementation within three months.
“To declare a ban on SARS again is nothing but policy somersault. It does not show effective leadership neither does it portray the police authority as consistent,” they said.
The group said if the recommendations were implemented, it would have addressed major problems associated with the operating system of SARS and bring an end to its oppressive and inhuman modalities.
