Unknown to Nigerians, the daughters of President Muhammadu Buhari and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, brought the pressure that led to the final disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Zarah Buhari and Kiki Osinbajo, were in the fore among Nigerian influencers who kicked against the abominable acts of the defunct SARS.
The two young ladies had through their separate Instagram accounts thrown support for the campaign to end brutality against citizens traced to the unit.
Nigerians have for long mounted #EndSARS campaign, providing verifiable evidence of brutality, extra-judicial killing, torture and all forms of inhuman treatment meted on fellow Nigerians by SARS operatives, who dressed more like armed bandits, than wear any official anti-crime paraphernalia.
Although the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had penultimate week announced the disbandment, he immediately reinstated the ban through a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), DCP Frank Mba, but succumbed to pressure and again personally issued a statement disbanding the notorious unit yesterday.
Two of his predecessors had three times in the past disbanded SARS, but the notorious outfit swung back almost immediately, fueling speculation that the last has not yet been heard of the dreaded police unit.
In mounting pressure for the outfit to be kicked out, Kiki Osinbajo had posted a picture on her Instagram handle showing a clenched fist with the caption, “POLICE BRUTALITY MUST END NOW. #endpolicebrutality #endsars”.
On her part, Zahra Buhari applied several tags supportive of the anti-SARS campaign on her handle.
The Reaction of the two ladies has, however, elicited mixed reactions with some Nigerians taunting them on their relationship with the President and the Vice-President.
Conversely, they also got support from people who drew a boundary between their actions and that of their fathers respectively.
*What the IGP said on SARS
Meanwhile, the IGP, Adamu, yesterday personally issued a statement nailing SARS coffin.
According to the police boss, “the Nigeria Police leadership has, since the commencement of the protests, been engaging the leadership of some Civil Society Organisations with a view to initiating meaningful and wide-ranging discussions on the subjects of their concern”.
He stated: “Following a review of the current developments, and in due cognizance of the wide and legitimately held concerns of well-meaning citizens on the existence and operations of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, as a responsive and citizens-oriented Police Force, it is hereby directed as follows:
“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigeria Police, otherwise known as SARS, is hereby dissolved across all Formations, the 36 State Police Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where they currently exist.
“All officers and men currently serving in the Unit are to be redeployed with immediate effect.
“New policing arrangements to address the offences of armed robbery, and other violent crimes that fall within the mandate of the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad shall be presented in due course”.
Adamu stated that before he took the decision, he had put SARS under constant monitoring and due assessment by the government.
He added that “the government acknowledges the inalienable rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression. The current agitation, in this context, is seen as a manifestation of the natural desire of citizens to participate in matters concerning policing and internal security in the nation. This is indeed one of the fundamental principles of Community Policing, which we are currently implementing”.
He said that a “Citizens and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum will be formed to regularly interface with the leadership of the police at all levels and advice on police activities”.
He added that “an investigation team will be constituted which will include civil society organisations for transparency, and culprits will be punished”.
*IGP acted courageously, says NHRC
Reacting to the development, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has commended the “courage and display of mark of a listening government through the disbandment of SARS by the Federal Government”.
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