October 07, (THEWILL) – Nigerian police authorities have dismissed social media speculations that the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) would undergo a restoration.
Opposition to the excesses of the squad had provoked an unprecedented wave of nationwide protests last year October with Nigerian youth taking to the streets to call for its scrapping.
Speculations surfaced in the media this week, the anniversary month of the protests, that SARS was being revived by the Inspector General of Police to tackle the rising crime wave.
However, in a statement by police spokesman, Frank Mba, this Thursday, the Force described the report as untrue.
“The attention of the Nigeria Police Force has been drawn to a false news report making the rounds online and offline suggesting that the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, psc (+), NPM, fdc has ordered the re-establishment of the defunct Special Anti – Robbery Squad (SARS),” reads the statement. “The Force wishes to categorically emphasize that there is no plan whatsoever to bring back the disbanded SARS. SARS is gone for good and will not resurrect under any guise whatsoever.
The statement said: “The IGP notes that the Force has since reorganized its operational structure to fill the vacuum created by the disbandment of SARS.
“Baba said the leadership of the Force is focused on efforts at deepening reforms within the Police and bequeathing Nigerians a Police Force that will be more effective, efficient, technology-driven, humane and Rule of Law-compliant.
“The IGP therefore calls on members of the public to disregard the report which is absolutely false and deliberately intended to misinform and misinform members of the public.”
