Following the order given by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo for the overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim idris, has ordered its immediate shake-up to address complaints and allegations of human rights violations against some of its personnel.
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on Tuesday ordered the immediate overhaul of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).
In a statement issued by Osinbajo’s spokesperson, Laolu Akande, the Acting President ordered the IGP to shut down the unit “with immediate effect”.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood, in a statement made available via the verified Facebook wall of the NPF stated that the squad has been renamed FSARS (Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad) under the command of a new commissioner of police that is yet to be named.
The new commissioner will oversee the running of the squad nationwide and operate under the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters, Abuja.
All officers under the remodelled FSARS will undergo immediately “Medical/Psychological evaluation” euphemism for psychiatric test to check their mental health, the statement added.
The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, hitherto under the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigations Department (FCIID) is henceforth to operate under the Department of Operations, Force Headquarters Abuja.
The Commissioner of Police (FSARS) will now be answerable to the Inspector General of Police through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations.
The re-organisation was swiftly announced on Tuesday, hours after a directive by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, followed incessant complaints by the public about widespread human rights violations by policemen attached to SARS.
There were also reports of extra-judicial killings, leading to campaigns in social media with the hashtag #EndSARS.
The police also listed other measures that will be enforced in compliance with the new order.
One of them is the establishment of human rights desk officers for FSARS in every State to take complaints from the public and forward same to Force Headquarters. The officer will be answerable to the Commissioner of Police, FSARS at the Force Headquarters and not Commander FSARS in the States.
* Redesigning of new uniform with identity name tag for all FSARS personnel throughout the Country will be done immediately.
* Henceforth, FSARS personnel will not perform Stop and Search duties except on distress call to respond to armed robbery and kidnapping offences only.
* The Force will be transparent, cooperate, and work cordially with the National Human Right Commission on the special panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of FSARS to address grievances from the public against the personnel of FSARS in compliance with the presidential directives.
The Inspector-general of Police has also directed a new training programme for all FSARS personnel to be organised by the Force in collaboration with some Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), Local and International NGOs, and other Human Rights Organisations on core Police Duties, Observance of Human Rights and Handling, Care and Custody of Suspects.
A committee of Senior Police officers, Technical Consultants, Human Rights/Civil Society organisations (CSOs) has been setup to review the activities of FSARS under the new arrangement. They are to pay unscheduled visits to FSARS formations across the country with particular attention to States with high complaints index, to assess facilities and situations in these States and submit report to the Inspector General of Police on regular basis.
However, aggrieved members of the public who have any complaint in the past or present of violation of their rights by any Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) personnel anywhere in the country are to report through any of the following channels for investigation and redress:
*DIG, Department of Operations: 08037025670
*IGP X-SQUAD: 0902 690 0729, 08078662130, 08174041000 – CALLS
0903 227 8905 – SMS 0903 562 1377 – whatsapp Email:
*IGP Monitoring Unit: , 08036242591
*Commissioner of Police, FSARS: 08033476852
*FORCE PUBLIC COMPLAINT BUREAU 07056792065 Calls/SMS/whatsapp 08088450152 Calls/SMS/whatsapp
Email: ,
Twitter: @PoliceNG
*PUBLIC COMPLAINT RAPID RESPONSE UNIT (PCRRU)
08057000001 – Calls Only 08057000002 – Calls Only 08057000003 – SMS & whatsapp only
Twitter: @PoliceNG_PCRRU
*NGOs/CSOs
* 08027757359
* 09051133035
* 07037887630
