We won’t scrap SARS, Police reply anti-SARS campaigners

THE Police high command has said that contrary to the ongoing social media campaign calling on it to scrap its Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit, it had no such intention whatsoever. It also said the anti-robbery unit had done a lot to sanitise the country, describing those opposed to its operations as criminals.

Police men and members of the Lagos State Task Force at Oshodi 

The police also asked well-meaning Nigerians to disregard the social media campaign against SARS, insisting that the campaigners were armed robbers who resorted to the social media to drum up support to achieve their aims. Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood, a Chief Superintendent of Police, CSP, dared those with allegations of wrongdoing against SARS to show up with their evidence or shut up, insisting that the Police would not bow to their antics to regain freedom in their nefarious trades. He said: “Anybody calling for scrapping of SARS is an armed robber, let him come forward so that we can investigate him. “Any complaint they give against any police personnel, everybody knows we don’t hide. “We have a Public Complaints Bureau which handles complaints. So if anybody is calling for scrapping of SARS, we don’t need to be reminded that they are criminals just using the social media. “If there are robbers that are operating and Special Anti-Robbery Squad engages them and somebody would now put something in the social media and say we should scrap SARS, I think it’s unfortunate. “ If there are specific allegations against any police officer, whether SARS or no SARS, there’s a control mechanism for any of us that violates the rights of Nigerian citizens to be dealt with appropriately. “You have seen instances where police officers have been tried, found guilty and charged to court. “Those mechanisms are there, so it would be mischievous for anybody to call for scrapping of SARS. You want armed robbers to take over everywhere? “So, those who are calling for the scrapping of SARS are people to be suspected, I think they are robbers themselves. “If there are complaints of atrocities against any police officers, they are being dealt with appropriately, we don’t hide them. “ You have been reading how police men that misbehave in their line of duties are being dealt with. So, anybody calling for scrapping of SARS has something to hide. “The police authorities cannot and will not scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for these criminals to thrive because it’s not our problem. “The people that have been fighting armed robbery, fighting kidnapping and make a lot of successes? “ Look at the number of people they have arrested along Abuja-Kaduna highway, look at the case of Evans.” Don’t you know that Intelligence Response Team has elements of Special Anti-Robbery Squad in them. “ I’m just trying to let you know the viability, so we shouldn’t be dancing to the tune of the social media, that’s the comedians centre. “If a person would call for the scrapping of SARS, is the person not an armed robber himself? They are just carrying their campaign in the social media.” Recall that Nigerians weekend re-record their campaign on social media calling on the police authorities to immediately scrap its Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit over allegations of atrocities being carried out by men of the unit. The campaign, tagged:#EndSARS, had dominated the social media space, with Nigerians alleging extra-judicial killings, wanton arrests and dispossession of properties through physical assault and other intimidation tactics against the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad unit of the Nigeria Police.