The Nigeria Police Force have dismissed allegations of torture and crimes levelled against the the special anti-robbery squad (SARS).
SARS was established by the Nigeria police to fight violent crimes.
Some Nigerians has taken to the social media to condemn the “careless” regard for human lives which they say is evident in operations of SARS operatives, hence calling for the proscription of the squad, which they accused of maltreating and torturing innocent citizens at will.
But the police said such accusations should be dismissed by Nigerians.
Speaking on Sunday, Jimoh Moshood, police spokesman, said SARS has lived up to its duty of curbing violent crimes and so, calls for its proscription should be “totally condemned”.
“As we speak, SARS is doing fantastically well across the country in reducing incidents of robbery to the barest minimum… they are doing very, very well,” Moshood said.
“There has not been any specific violation of human rights against any SARS personnel. So anybody that is spreading such a rumour is not doing the nation any good.
“SARS has no excesses and when there is any, we do investigate.
“The call for SARS to be scrapped should be condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians.
Anybody calling for their proscription is not doing the nation any good and such people should be suspected as having something to hide.”
Moshood urges Nigerians with complaints against any police officer – “whether SARS or any other personnel” – to channel their complaints through established channels.
“Accessibility (to the police in cases of complaints) is very possible, he said, adding: “We do not take any infraction or violation of human right of any Nigerian likely. You know that so many police officers have been dismissed and even charged to court.”
“So, Nigerians should not give in to insinuations from people that just come to the social media and start spreading falsehood. Such people spreading such information may likely be armed robbers themselves.
“There is laid down rules for police procedures and any police officer that go beyond boundary to do something outrageous which is against the law is apprehended.”
Alleged harrassment and abuse of power by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad has led to an online campaign for the scrapping of the security outfit.
Nigerians on social media are calling on Police authorities to scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, popularly known by the acronym SARS.
The call follows several incidents of brutality, abuse and harassment reported against men of the police department.
The Nigerian Police Force Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit, PCRRU, had yesterday announced the opening of channels through which the public can report complaints about SARS.
The move by the PCRRU may be connected to the public outcry that has trailed the activities of many SARS officials in recent times.
Late in October 2017, a 2015 graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ekwere Imoh, was shot by policemen attached to SARS, Oyo State Police Command.
The policemen also shot a female friend of his, identified simply as Doris, who was with him. There were no concrete reasons for shooting the duo as they were neither criminals nor under arrest.
Earlier in the same month, a lady, Kachi Anifela Zion, accused officers of SARS in Ilorin of sexual molestation. She said a male SARS official under the pretence of searching her, dipped his hand in her underwear.
She further revealed that the SARS official threatened to beat her if she shouted, adding that the officer continued to fondle, rough handle and humiliate her for several minutes.
The SARS official implicated in the matter was later arrested.
A video also emerged online in November, where a gun-wielding SARS operative threatened to shoot two people at Akute area of Ogun State.
Plus many others harassment not reported in the media.
