The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is a unit of the Nigerian Police Force under the Force Criminal, Investigation and Intelligence Department. This unit is headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was founded in 1992 by former police commissioner Simeon Danladi Midenda. His major reason for setting up the unit was to monitor crime situation in Lagos when police officers left their duty posts for few weeks following the killing of an Army Colonel by a Police officer.
SARS was formed with only 15 officers and to distinguish this squad from the already existing anti robbery squad at that time, Midenda named his team Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Unit gradually grew in strength, helping to fight kidnapping and robbery which is their main function. With time the unit began to deviate from their main function, harassing innocent youths and extorting them at checkpoints.
It will be recalled that in September 5th, 2019, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lekki, Lagos State, tortured and robbed a Nigerian Rapper. There have been many cases of the unit robbing, assaulting and even killing young Nigerians all in the name of performing their duties.
Most Nigerian Youths are scared of meeting the SARS at checkpoints because of fear of harassing and robbing one off his cell phones, wristwatches. Some members of the unit do have POS Machines where they force you to make several transfers to their account. For most SARS Operatives, dressing well by a young man or woman is a crime.
Due to continuous assault of the unit on Nigerian Youths, protests were held on Thursday, 9th October across some states of the Federation.
In Lagos State, hundreds of residents took to the streets including celebrities like Falz and Runtown to ask for the total withdrawal of the unit.
“I am in the protest to express what we are fighting for, which is #EndSARS. We do not want the Special Anti-Robbery Squad anymore. They have been killing us, killing innocent victims, harassing us, violating us every day. So we need them to be completely abolished”, Falz explained. He further stated that the youths do not want reform but a complete scrapping off.
Some youths said that looking good and driving a good car has become an offence for SARS and that mentality scares them.
In Owerri Imo State, youths had their protest along Okigwe road through Imo State University Junction. The youths maintained that SARS personnel terrorize and beat innocent youths; calling them ‘yahoo boys’.
A youth from Orji in Owerri Imo State said SARS personnel along MCC Road in the past stopped him while coming back from work, searched him and assaulted him for having two ATM cards in his wallet even when the cards are having his name. He explained that he had to pay himself out of the situation with the N2000 in his pocket.
In Abuja, Protesters arrived at Force Headquarters and demanded to have a meeting with the Inpector General of Police.
The Members of the Unit have gone wrong in many ways, the public are no longer comfortable with the situation.
Not only youths are afraid, parents are scared too of losing their sons and daughters.
