Nigeria Abolishes Controversial SARS Police Unit
Written by SOURCE on October 11, 2020
After mounting pressure from citizens, the Nigerian government has decided to end its controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Sunday, BBC reports.
SARS has habitually been accused of harassment, unlawful arrests, torture, and murders. One of the alleged murders sparked outrage and protests across the country. The hashtag #EndSARS became the movements rallying cry and spread across the globe via social media. As a result, Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, decided to abolish the task force “with immediate effect” to show that the government is listening to the “yearnings of the Nigerian people.”
Although the force has been dissolved, Adamu announced that the members of this squad will be reassigned to different departments within the country’s police force, however.
“All officers and men of the now defunct Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) are to be redeployed with immediate effect,” the statement continues. “A new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS will cause is being worked on and will be announced by @PoliceNG”
Despite this, Nigerians believe SARS ending is just the start, and they still have to keep working to reform the city’s corrupt police force.
