Unlawful Killings: Two FSARS Personnel, Civilian Accomplice Detained

Two operatives of the FSARS and their civilian accomplice operating in Lagos State, Inspector Sale James, Inspector Monday Uchiola and Okechukwu Ogbonna, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command for acts of professional misconduct, including extortion and intimidation of innocent citizens.

This development is coming as the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Sunday banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad and other Tactical Squads of the Force from carrying out routine patrol duties with immediate effect.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Deputy Commissioner of Police Frank Mba, who revealed this in a statement on Sunday, said that the operational vehicle of the men has also been impounded and disciplinary procedure has already commenced against the defaulters.

Mba added: “The IGP reaffirms his commitment to bequeathing to Nigerians a reformed Police Force that is accountable, responsible and ever ready to defend and uphold the rights of the citizens while discharging its duties of keeping the people safe and secure.

“He enjoins the citizens not to allow the misconduct by a few personnel of the Force to negatively impact on their belief, confidence and trust in the Police.”

Meanwhile, a civil society organization, the Centre for Advancement of Civil Liberties and Development, has called on the Federal government to release all those unlawfully arrested by SARS operatives across the country.

The group while condemning the operations of SARS across the county, in a statement jointly signed by its co-conveners namely Adebayo Raphael, Ariyo-Dare Atoye, and Deji Adeyanju, said that disbanding SARS was the only way to stop these police operatives from “terrorising” Nigerians.

The statement reads: “We condemn in its totality, the resurgence of unprovoked and unjustified violence of operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Nigerian citizens, especially the youths in different parts of the country.

“We have watched with disdain, the several clips of SARS brutality populating different social media platforms, and how the operatives of this Police Unit — legitimately constituted to combat crime and ensure the safety of the people — have now become agents of terror and unwarranted brutality and abuse to Nigerian youths.

“In line with Chapter II, Section 14 (2)(b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended, it is clear to us and the majority of Nigerians that this police unit has failed to prioritize the security of the Nigerian people, but has rather become a bane to our nation’s security and a monstrous threat to the safety of the Nigerian people.

“It is on this basis that we declare, therefore, that the Federal Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria must act immediately and decisively to shut down this unit of the Nigeria Police Force and ensure that it henceforth ceases to exist in our country.

“In addition, the Federal Government must order the immediate and unconditional release of all innocent citizens who have been unjustly incarcerated by this unit and compensate them accordingly.

“Further, the Federal Government must immediately order an independent inquiry into the rogue activities of SARS operatives in the last one year and punish any and every operative found guilty of extortion, abuse of Nigerian citizens and execution or killing of any innocent citizen within the said timeframe.

“Our hope is that the Federal Government will side with the Nigerian people, and not this rogue unit terrorizing Nigerians with unbridled impunity. The Nigerian Police Force can only become an institution that protects the Nigerian people when it is free of anti-people and anti-democratic elements like the operatives in the SARS unit.”