The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was until Sunday, October 11, 2020, a unit of the Nigerian Police Force under the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department headed by a former Lagos Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi.
The latest dissolution of SARS on October 11, 2020, was trailed by series of a week-long protest against the operatives who had become notorious for extortion, robbery, brutality, rape and killing of innocent Nigerian citizens.
Why SARS was created
A commissioner of Police, Simeon Danladi Midenda, in 1992, founded the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The creation of SARS became necessary when police officers stationed at a checkpoint in Lagos killed a Nigerian Army Colonel from Plateau State, Col. Rindam. The Army, triggered by the information, dispatched soldiers into the streets of Lagos to search for any police officer.
This development prompted the Nigeria police to withdraw from checkpoints, security areas and other points of interest for criminals. Similarly, some police officers reportedly resigned while others fled for their lives.
This created something negative. The absence of police officers for two weeks led to an increase in the rate of crime.
The SARS unit comprising of only 15 officers was created to operate without the knowledge of the soldiers.
Because three other anti-robbery squads were already in existence at the time, the commissioner named the new unit Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS. As a means to distinguish them from other tactical units, SARS operatives were not allowed to wear a police uniform, publicly carry guns or have walkie-talkies. They were given unmarked vehicles with sometimes no license plates or private plate numbers during duty.
After a settlement and ceasefire between the Army and police, the SARS unit was officially commissioned in Lagos.
In an interview in 2017, CP Midenda (retd) said:
“In 1992, Col. Rindam. a military officer from Plateau State met his death at the hands of police operatives at a check point in Lagos. Upon discovery of that, the army took to the streets in Lagos in search of any policeman.
“As a result, policemen abandoned the streets in Lagos and withdrew to barracks. Robbers then had a field day in Lagos, operating with impunity. It took two weeks of talks before the military and police authorities succeeded in convincing the army chaps to return to barracks and for the police to come back to the roads. By that time, it was too late. Armed robbers were in control in Lagos and the like of Shina Rambo could not be challenged by any force.
“At this time, I was in-charge of Anti Robbery Unit of the State CID in Benin. Benin was notorious for armed robbery but my unit and I brought the armed robbers to their knees forcing them to flee out of Benin. Then one day. I was summoned to the office of the Commissioner of police in Benin and when I got there, the Commissioner of Police handed over a copy of a signal message from the Inspect-General of Police for me to read. The IGP then was Alhaji Aliyu Attah. The message was simple: “CP, I congratulate you. I have observed with keen interest that no robbery was recorded in Benin for the past nine days.” The CP looked up at me and said have you seen that? It is from the IGP himself”, I replied “yes sir”. He then gave me some words of encouragement and asked me to keep it up.
“…A week later, a bombshell came from the IGP. I was ordered to report in Lagos within three hours. This time, I was a Superintendent of Police.
“I reported in Lagos as ordered. I met late James Danbaba as the Commissioner of Police, Sir Mike Mbama Okiro, former IGP and the present Chairman, Police Service Commission, as Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations and late Abdulyekini.
“With the existence of these three separate anti-robbery units already operating in Lagos therefore, I needed a name that was unique with which my own team was to be called and communicated with. After several days of trying to coin a name, I failed to come up with a unique name, catchy and strong enough to send a message that somebody different was in town. At the end, I simply added the word ‘Special’ to the already existing Anti-Robbery Squad and it came up with “Special anti-Robbery Squad” abbreviated as SARS. That was how the name SARS came into the Nigeria Police vocabulary. Before this time, Special Anti-robbery Squad as a name or the abbreviation SARS never appeared in any kind of police communications.”
SARS Becoming a Nightmare
Following years of operation, the unit increased in number and strength. The operatives, still operating in mufti, begun wielding weapons and started using branded police vehicles.
With the increase in cultism in Nigerian universities as well as cybercrime, SARS operatives soon infiltrated Nigerian universities and major streets. Though the officers made some meaningful arrests, they deviated from their main function to become extortionists, rapists, human right abusers and killers.
SARS operatives soon became a nightmare and witch-hunters as they began preying on potential victims based on hairstyles, vehicle type, phone make and appearance. For instance, youths with dreadlocks, piercings, cars, expensive phones and risque means of expression were likely to be their victims.
Incidents of abuses by SARS operatives
Data collected showed that since the beginning of 2020, SARS officers have killed at least 18 Nigerians, with more occurring during the COVID-19 lockdown.
- A recent case of assault was when the operatives in Ughelli, Delta State, shot at a young man driving a Lexus SUV and made away with his vehicle. This act generated outrage online, hence the birth of the latest #EndSARS protest.
- A Federal High Court in Enugu State, on May 20, 2010, had ordered the then IGP, Ogbonna Okechukwu Onovo, to produce a Special Anti-Robbery Squad officer who gunned down a 15-year-old high school boy after he was mistaken for a kidnapper.
- On 21 August 2019, four SARS operatives were arrested and charged with murder after being caught on video manhandling and then shooting to death two suspected phone thieves in broad daylight. The two suspected phone thieves were shot dead after they had been arrested.
- On 5 September 2019, a publication by Punch revealed that SARS operatives in Lagos allegedly kidnapped, tortured and robbed Nigerian rapper Ikechukwu Onunaku, forcing him to make several withdrawals at the ATM to pay them for doing nothing.
- On September 15, the family of a soon-to-be bride, Ifeoma Stella Abudu, made a formal complaint to the IGP detailing how the operatives arrested their daughter at her fiance’s apartment in the Lokogoma area of Abuja. The operatives allegedly raped and murdered Ms. Ifeoma and dumped her corpse at the Gwagwalada Specialist hospital.
The #EndSARS Protest
In 2017, popular social media activist, Segun Awosanya, actively took up the #ENDSARS campaign on social media alongside other activists which then culminated into advocacies to end police brutality and scrap the SARS unit.
What could have triggered anger in the youths is the fact that despite the promises by the Police Force to ban and disarm SARS operatives, these operatives keep resurfacing. The latest pronouncement makes it the fourth.
The resurgence of the #EndSARS protest began on October 3, 2020, when a viral video showed a SARS police officer shoot a young Nigerian in front of Wetland Hotel, Ughelli, Delta State and allegedly made away with his Lexus SUV.
The outcry on various social media platforms birthed #EndSARS protest.
The #EndSARS protest went offline with full force on Thursday, October 8, 2020, in many cities across Nigeria. The protests began with youths in their hundreds, and soon thousands, gathering in different cities including Lagos, Abuja, London, Newyork, Dublin and Houston, to speak up against police brutality, harassment and extortion in Nigeria.
The protests grew stronger to comprise of celebrities, both national and international. International celebrities who have lent their voices to stand with Nigerians against Police brutality include, Trey Songz, Celine Dion, Cardi B, Kanye West and a host of others.
As the protest intensified over the weekend, police officers disrupted the protests in some cities by throwing teargas and shooting at unarmed peaceful protesters as seen in Abuja, Lagos, Oyo and Osun.
This, sadly, led to the death of Jimoh Isiaq, a young undergraduate of the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, who stood to stare at protesters from a distance.
The death of Jimoh Isiaq prompted angry protesters to attack and vandalized the palace of the monarch in the area, the Soun of Ogbomoso.
Again, on Monday, a passerby was hit by a stray bullet in the Surulere area of Lagos as police officers shot at unarmed protesters in a bid to disperse them.
The recurring brutality, trampling on human rights and shooting of unarmed peaceful protesters by ‘individuals tasked with the responsibility of providing protection’ soon gave the protesters more reason to continue with the protest.
The youths soon came up with a five-point agenda which they gave the government as a condition to backdown on the protest.
The Five-point Agenda
The five-point agenda the #EndSARS protesters came up with include:
- Immediate release of all arrested protesters;
- Justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families;
- Setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reports of Police misconduct (within 10days);
- In line with police act, psychological evaluation and retaining (to be confirmed by an independent body) of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be redeployed; and
- Increase Police salary so that they are adequately compensated for protecting the lives and property of citizens.
Following these demands, at a stakeholders’ meeting summoned by the Inspector-General of Police and the National Human Rights Commission with representatives of the #EndSARS movement in attendance, it was agreed that the five-point demand of the protesters will be met.
SWAT to replace SARS
Following protesters demand to ban and disarm SARS operatives, the IGP announced the formation of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) as a replacement.
Mr Adamu noted that Prospective SWAT members will undergo psychological and medical examinations to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.
He added that the new SWAT team will commence training at the different Police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week.
Protesters not shielding their swords
The youths have continued to protest against police brutality with the hashtag #EndSARS tending on Twitter. According to the protesters, they have lost faith in the government and what they are currently fighting for is accountability.
In the same vein, the protesters are also calling for the resignation of the Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, because his subjects have refused to take orders.
The police officers have continued to use live ammunition on protesters, despite the orders of the Inspector-General.
The protesters have vowed that protests will continue until each of their demands are met.
Souce: The Street Journal
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