‘IGP’s repeated instructions have gone unheeded’ — Oyo rep files motion to proscribe SARS

Akin Alabi, a member of the house of representatives from Oyo state, has filed a motion to “immediately proscribe” the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) of the Nigeria police force.

TheCable understands that the motion will be considered at the house plenary on Tuesday.

Alabi, who is the chairman of the house committee on governmental affairs, noted in the proposal that SARS has been in the news “because of ceaseless killings and attacks on innocent citizens”.

The lawmaker said contrary to the duty of the police, which is to secure lives and properties, the “fear of SARS officers has become the new order of the day.”

He said many Nigerian families have suffered “the brunt of the excesses and abuse from the brazen SARS squad”, adding that public outcry against SARS “must no longer be disregarded or met with tepid responses from the government”.

He also noted that repeated instructions of the inspector-general of police to SARS officers against ‘stop and search’ operations “have gone unheeded”.

To confront the challenge, Alabi sought a resolution for the house to urge Mohammed Adamu, the inspector-general of police, to “immediately and compeltely ban” SARS, while its police affairs committee must ensure compliance.

The motion comes on the heels of a renewed social media campaign against the police unit, which is notorious for its excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and, in some cases, extrajudicial killings.

TheCable had reported how policemen, including SARS officials, reportedly killed 92 Nigerians in one year.

Amid the social media campaign to scrap the police squad, the IGP banned the SARS officials from carrying out ‘stop and search’ operations on roads.

However, concerns remain on its implementation as similar bans have been announced in the past with little or no action to enforce it.