UNITED KINGDOM: SARS Disbandment, An Important First Step.
The United Kingdom has commended the decision of the Federal Government scrapping the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police Force.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, expressed the action as “an important first step”.
Laing, announces via her verified Twitter handle, @CatrionaLaing1, wrote, “Welcome the government announcement on the future of #SARS- An important first step.
“The IGP’s commitment to ensure accountability for human rights violations is essential to restoring public confidence in the Nigeria Police Force.
“Hearing reports of violence affecting ongoing protests. Urge authorities to respect the right to protest and protestors to remain peaceful.”
The PUNCH had earlier reported that after days of protests against the brutality and extrajudicial killings by SARS operatives, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday afternoon, announced the disbandment of the police force.
“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.
Adamu 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,”.