That Nigerians, most especially the youths, want the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) scrapped and done away with is no news. This is a fallout of the ruthlessness of most of its personnel and ‘cloning’/impersonating men of the squad. Stories of their acts are flying around and are subjects of discuss at almost every place you find yourself.
SARS, to me, just need to be restructed. The restructuring may or may not include the total overhaul of all its personnel and replacing them with thoroughly trained men who understands the act of policing; policing by the standard norms as obtainable in saner climes.
Entirely scrapping that section of The Nigerian Police isn’t going to help the country. It will cause a breach the Nigerian government might not be able to handle. Criminals will be on the loose as there will be no one to directly put their activities in check.
SARS units aren’t all bad. I know there are still good ones amidst them. What should be put in place are proactive measures to make sure they understand they are also citizens of the country and are subject to the laws of the land. No one person is above the law in Nigeria, save those with constitutional immunity, who can even be tried at the expiration of their tenures.
I know the Inspector-General of Police have heard Nigerians. I know he’s a man who must have links with intelligence gathering and monitoring of officers’ deeds. He should find a way to re-launch that branch of the Police Force, and re-introduce it to Nigerians.
In my humble opinion, I suggest an outright name change. It doesn’t have to go by the name Special Anti-Robbery Squad; there are code names.
A change of name will be a victory for the Nigerian populace and also present an avenue for the IGP to re-brand a section of ‘his Force’ that’s been mostly believed to be going against almost all known policing etiquette.
I look forward to a Nigeria Police Force I can be proud of.
God bless Nigeria.
Aroso Akintomide Adedamola
Twitter: @tomidearoso
