The Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, Sunday, bowed to public outcry over activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and the call for the tactical unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to be scrapped.
Adamu announced the dissolution of the unit and redeployment of all police officers attached to the unit.
The police boss directed a Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum for regular interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public be put in place to prevent the re-occurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS.
Addressing journalists at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, said: “In the finest spirit of democratic, citizen-centred and community policing, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu, has today, October 11, 2020, dissolved the 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 SARS 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.
“He assures that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps the dissolution of SARS would cause has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.”