The pace of extra-judicial killing of 'presumed-innocent' people by officers of the Nigerian Special Anti Robbery Squad (SAR), has exceeded its peak. No week went by, without a report of abuse of human-right, on the Social Media by SARS officers. Adding to the list, is a recent out-cry from an officer of the Nigerian Army, over the killing of his cousin, in the custody of the Special Anti Robbery (SARS).
The narrative:
"While i was busy fighting for peace in my country, #SARS were busy torturing my cousin till Death. Got a shocking news entering into town now. I think am done with this country. According to what i heard. They were picked up at about 8:20pm by #SARS took them to custody that they are yahoo boys later said they are cult members tortured the hell out of them asking till the next day. His mother went to the station they ask her to go bring 60k to bail just my cousin. She cried telling them she's just a bean cake seller she don't have such money in her position they pushed her out and threatened to lock her up when next she comes in without the money. She left. Call several family members to tell them what is happening. Before she could reach out to those who will raise such money for her was the third day. They've already handed over my cousin to Anti cultism. They tortured them till my cousin gave up because he's hypertensive. Well I rest my case here. What are we really fighting for? when the lifes of our loved ones at home isn't safe. You brought casualties and you hear another tragedy in your family. #lifeOfaSoldier".Like any well-meaning organisation established to serve the populace, the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) was established some decades ago, in Lagos State, following the success story of an anti-robbery squad in Edo state. At the time, SARS was set-up as a special unit in the Nigerian Police Force, to combat armed-robbery. The then Police Commissioner, believed to be the brain behind the idea, Retired Police Commissioner, Simeon Danladi Midenda, told Vanguard News, in an interview with Crime Editor, Emma Nnadozie, which was published on December, 23, 2017. "I reported in Lagos as ordered. I met late James Danbaba as the Commissioner of Police, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, former IGP and the present Chairman, Police Service Commission, as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations and late Abdulyekini Adoeye, as the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Administration. They asked me to set up an anti-robbery team strong enough to make sure robbers were dislodged from Lagos. To start with, fifteen fully armed men and two plain coloured Peugeot station wagons were given to me. Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, now an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, AIG, was appointed my second in command. It must be noted that at this time, there were already three anti-robbery squads operating in Lagos. One, that of Force CID, Alagbon Close but based at Adeniji-Adele, one attached to Zone two command and the third at Panti, Lagos state CID. With the existence of these three separate anti-robbery units already operating in Lagos therefore, I needed a name that was unique with which my own team was to be called and communicated with. After several days of trying to coin a name, I failed to come up with a unique name, catchy and strong enough to send a message that somebody different was in town. At the end, I simply added the word ‘Special’ to the already existing Anti-Robbery Squad and it came up with “Special anti-Robbery Squad” abbreviated as SARS. That was how the name SARS came into the Nigeria Police vocabulary. Before this time, Special Anti-robbery Squad as a name or the abbreviation SARS never appeared in any kind of police communications". He stated.
Recollecting how SARS operated, Midenda continued- "As soon as robbery was reported anywhere in Lagos, we went out with speed, each team to a predestined location. At our various locations, we patiently waited while the conventional policemen continued to chase the robbers around Lagos. In their bid to escape, the robbers almost always fell into out traps and met their Waterloo". SARS officers did not go about the streets in search of robbers; neither did they receive direct complaints from members of the public. They allowed Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) do their jobs, after which the DPOs transfer confirmed cases of "armed robbery" (not fraud or cultism), back to SARS for follow-up action. Suspects whose case failed to link-up to robbery (lesser offenses) were simply sent back to the DPO to be charged accordingly. There appeared to be order, every Police officer knew his duties and boundaries which leaves me wondering ‘what went wrong’?... to which Simeon Midenda pointed out: "One thing that is clear to me is that they (SARS) have deviated from the original concept".
To protect their identities, Midenda said SARS officers did not bear guns, walkie talkies or any ammunition of any kind. "we realized the danger of carrying weapons openly. We also realized that by carrying weapons openly, we have destroyed the element of surprise".
The above clearly explained SARS initial 'modus operandi', is far-fetched from today’s: guns-wielding, fully identified officers, devoid of any knowledge of Human-Right laws. The perils of SARS has like an un-checked epidemic, spread over Nigerian states.
In December 2017, following shared experiences and several petitions written against the squad, The Nigerian Senate authorized its ad-hoc Committee on Security, chaired by Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, to investigate reports of murder, torture, and human-right abuses against the Anti Robbery Squad. Senator Isah Hamma Misau, Chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Navy, who championed the motion to end the Anti Robbery Squad, stated, "the Federal SARS go to states and arrest people without making reference to the Commissioner of Police, they bring them (arrested people) to Abuja and detain them". Nigerian Dailies, are not left out, on the fight to check-SARs. Over the years, headlines to inform the public about authorities’ efforts to cub this condition screamed:
Recollecting how SARS operated, Midenda continued- "As soon as robbery was reported anywhere in Lagos, we went out with speed, each team to a predestined location. At our various locations, we patiently waited while the conventional policemen continued to chase the robbers around Lagos. In their bid to escape, the robbers almost always fell into out traps and met their Waterloo". SARS officers did not go about the streets in search of robbers; neither did they receive direct complaints from members of the public. They allowed Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) do their jobs, after which the DPOs transfer confirmed cases of "armed robbery" (not fraud or cultism), back to SARS for follow-up action. Suspects whose case failed to link-up to robbery (lesser offenses) were simply sent back to the DPO to be charged accordingly. There appeared to be order, every Police officer knew his duties and boundaries which leaves me wondering ‘what went wrong’?... to which Simeon Midenda pointed out: "One thing that is clear to me is that they (SARS) have deviated from the original concept".
To protect their identities, Midenda said SARS officers did not bear guns, walkie talkies or any ammunition of any kind. "we realized the danger of carrying weapons openly. We also realized that by carrying weapons openly, we have destroyed the element of surprise".
The above clearly explained SARS initial 'modus operandi', is far-fetched from today’s: guns-wielding, fully identified officers, devoid of any knowledge of Human-Right laws. The perils of SARS has like an un-checked epidemic, spread over Nigerian states.
In December 2017, following shared experiences and several petitions written against the squad, The Nigerian Senate authorized its ad-hoc Committee on Security, chaired by Senate leader, Ahmed Lawan, to investigate reports of murder, torture, and human-right abuses against the Anti Robbery Squad. Senator Isah Hamma Misau, Chairman of the Nigerian Senate Committee on Navy, who championed the motion to end the Anti Robbery Squad, stated, "the Federal SARS go to states and arrest people without making reference to the Commissioner of Police, they bring them (arrested people) to Abuja and detain them". Nigerian Dailies, are not left out, on the fight to check-SARs. Over the years, headlines to inform the public about authorities’ efforts to cub this condition screamed:
- "I.G BANS SARS FROM CONDUCTING STOP AND SEARCH"- Guardian Newspapers, December, 22, 2017 .
- BREAKING: IGP BOWS TO #ENDSARS, ORDERS IMMEDIATE REORGANIZATION OF SARS - Vanguard Newspaper, December, 4, 2017.
- CP BANS POLICEMEN FROM WEARING MUFTI, SARS JACKET - Guardian Newspaper, July 13, 2018...etc it goes.
SARS culture of- harassment, torture and extra-judicial killing of presumed innocent citizens, before other-wise proven by the Court of Law, clearly defines a squad that even the authorities will find difficult to control, if not checked.
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