Northern Governors Reject Dissolution Of SARS

Governors of the 19 northern states have opposed the scrapping of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Plateau state governor and chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, Simon Lalong, made the position of his contemporaries know on Thursday.

Addressing state house correspondents l after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari in Abuja, Lalong said that the controversial police unit has been useful in the fight against insecurity in the region.

“SARS is not made up of bad elements alone as it also includes personnel who are doing their work diligently,” he said.

Lalong said what is needed is the reformation of the unit to enable it to discharge its functions “optimally”.

On Sunday, Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), announced the disbandment of SARS following nationwide protests against alleged human rights violations by the unit.

But the move is not enough to appease the protesters as demonstrations continu with #EndSARS campaigners insisting on the prosecution of all officers named in cases of rights abuses.

The protests have spread across the country and have persisted for days.

However, while the demonstration gained traction and sustained vigour in the south, the situation in the northern enclave has been nothing more than indifference and passivity.

The police leadership has promised reforms, setting up a new unit named — special weapons and tactics (SWAT).