Those calling for scrapping of SARS may be armed robbers - Police

dimeji akinloye

December 3, 2017 7:29 PM

The police urged Nigerians to disregard the protest and those behind it, saying SARS has lived up to its duty of curbing violent crimes.

The

The police dismissed the allegations, saying that the unit is carrying out its duty fantastically well.

The Force was reacting to the calls for the proscription of the squad.

On Sunday, December 3, 2017, some Nigerians took the social media to condemn the arbitrary maltreatment of citizens by SARS officals, urging the Federal Government to #EndSARS - the hashtag topped the trending list of the Nigeria twitter for several hours on Sunday.

Former vice president, Atiku Abubakar also gave credence to the agitation for the scrapping of SARS.

But the police urged Nigerians to disregard the protest and those behind it, saying SARS has lived up to its duty of curbing violent crimes.

"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," police spokesman, Jimoh Moshood told The Cable on Sunday.

"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."

ALSO READ: SARS - Meet the Police Unit with license to kill

Moshood urged Nigerians with complaints against any police officer, "whether SARS or any other personnel" to channel such grievances through established channels.

"Accessibility (to the police in cases of complaints) is very possible. 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."

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 as Doris, who was with him.

There were no concrete reasons for shooting the duo as they were neither criminals nor under arrest.

dimeji akinloye