Spokesperson of the Nigerian Police force, Frank Mba have revealed that the reason why the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) can't be scrapped by the federal government, as anti-SARS protests continues in cities around the country.
Speaking, Officer Mba insisted that some SARS operatives are involved in the fight against insurgency and banditry in the north.
“If the #EndSARS hashtag is seen as a symbolic call for the reform of SARS, I would say clearly that the leadership of the NPF is in line and ready to work with those making that call,” he said.
“However, if the hashtag should be seen as a call for the total disbandment of SARS, I would tell you very clearly that it will be difficult for any responsible organisation to work that path, taking into cognisance the amount of investment in training that government has made in setting up that department and the very critical roles it is playing.
“As a matter of fact, we have received a lot of calls from people particularly in states like Maiduguri, Yobe, and some other parts of the north where SARS operatives are deeply embedded in the fight against banditry, insurgency.
“And these people have made it very clear that ending SARS is not even an option for them because of the critical roles SARS operatives are playing in those areas, heavily on bandits, terrorists and other kinds of criminals.”
It can be recalled that protests have started all over the country following increased police brutality, with SARS receiving repeated mentions, notorious for its excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and, in some cases, extrajudicial killings.
In Lagos where the protests began and now in its second day, residents flooded major roads with placards, insisting “enough is enough”, and it is time to scrap the squad.
News outlet, The Cable, had reported how policemen, including SARS officials, reportedly killed 92 Nigerians in one year.