Nigeria’s inspector-general of police Mohammed Adamu has stated that the ongoing reform of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) and local SARS is real.
Following public outcry against police brutality, Adamu banned SARS and other police units from mounting indiscriminate roadblocks and conducting irrelevant stop-and-search operations.
Even Vice President Yemi Osinbajo expressed anger at the allegedly murderous operations of SARS.
But due to the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari’s government has “reformed” SARS at least three times in recent memory, the latest announcement to do so again are proving inadequate of generating public confidence in the sincerity of the authorities.
Nigerians said nothing would change until a prominent family falls victim to police brutality.
Many say the move is nothing more than an “audio reform” meaning that is fake.
IGP Adamu, however, told youth and sports minister Sunday Dare the ongoing changes were for real.
“(Adamu stated that) some of the officers who have been found to be unruly and unprofessional in their dealings with the citizens, particularly the youth, have been arrested and are already facing disciplinary actions,” police spokesperson Frank Mba said in a statement summarising the Adamu-Dare meeting.
Mba said the IGP vowed to reform SARS for real this time.
Dare, on his part, “commended the IGP for his prompt response in tackling the issues and called for stronger collaboration and mutual understanding between the Police and the youth,” Mba said.
“He also called for regular town hall meetings at various State Commands which will involve the Police Spokespersons, Civil Society Organisations (CSO) and other critical stakeholders to strengthen the synergy between the police and the citizens, especially the youth.”
The meeting took place in Abuja on Monday.
