#EndSARS campaigners demand executive order disbanding squad
After days of public outcry and nationwide protests, the Inspector-General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, on Sunday bowed to pressure and disbanded the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
He said a new policing arrangement to address armed robbery and other violent crimes that fall within the mandate of the dissolved tactical unit will be presented in due course.
Announcing the decision at the Force Headquarters, Abuja on Sunday, Adamu acknowledged the inalienable rights of citizens to freedom of association and expression.
But the #EndSARS campaigners said they will not back down, insisting that the street rallies would continue until the President, Muhammadu Buhari, issued an Executive Order scrapping the tactical unit.
A leader of the protesters, Raphael Adebayo, said the IG was being “clever by half” with his announcement that the SARS had been dissolved, noting that the #EndSARS campaigners were not convinced by his statement.
The Convener #RevolutionNow Movement, Omoyele Sowore, said the protesters did not believe that the scrapping of SARS was real, noting that some policemen still harrassed protesters in Abuja on Sunday, shortly after the IG’s statement.
“A I’m speaking with you, there is an ongoing protest in Abuja and it is massive. They are heading to the Force Headquarters because they are not convinced that the dissolution of SARS is real. People are very skeptical, cynical about the announcement”, the former presidential candidate said.
Sowore stressed that the #EndSARS campaign was also a demand for compensation for victims of police brutality and rights violation, adding that they also wanted the errant operatives to be publicly prosecuted.
But the #EndSARS Lagos, Olorunrinu Oduala said her team would halt their protest, having decided to give the police and government the benefit of doubt on the announced SARS dissolution.