By Adedapo Adesanya
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has disclosed that a new unit to tackle armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in Nigeria will soon be created following the scrapping of the dreadful Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The IGP made this known on Sunday during a press conference to address the days of widespread #EndSARS protest across the country and the social media, calling for the disbandment of the police unit accused of extorting and harming innocent Nigerians.
In a statement from the IGP and signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PRO), Mr Frank Mba, he said “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.
According to Mr Adamu, this decision is because it’s “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.”
In the statement, the police chief noted that as part of measures to prevent a re-occurrence of events that gave rise to the dissolution of SARS, a Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum is being formed to regularly interface with Police leadership at all levels and advise on police activities as they affect the general public.
“In addition, the force is constituting an Investigation Team which shall include Civil Society Organizations and Human Rights Bodies to work with the Police in investigating alleged cases of human rights violations.
“The measure, the IGP believes, will enhance transparency and accountability in police services as well as providing a system of deterrence for erring police officers whose action clearly violates the rights of the citizenry,” the statement said.
Concluding, the IGP expressed his appreciation to “all citizens particularly those who genuinely express their concerns for a better policing orientation in an organised, patriotic and civil manner.”
He reaffirmed the determination of the force to bequeath to the country a Police Force and system that is professional in service delivery and most importantly, accountable to the people.
Modupe Gbadeyanka