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Tag: Special Anti-Robbery Squad

  • Police kill one, injured two in shootout with robbers

    Operatives of the Abia State Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have killed a member of a robbery gang terrorising Obingwa Local Government Area and its environs.

    The Nation learnt that the robbers stormed a neighboring village, where they robbed several shops and houses before storming Mgboko Obingwa.

    It was learnt that while they were carrying out another operation at Mgboko, the SARS operatives, acting on intelligence stormed the area.

    Read Also: No herdsmen gun cache in Anambra – Police

    The three-man gang exchanged gunfire with the policemen.

    One of them died, two others escaped with wounds.

    Police spokesman Geoffrey Ogbonna couldn’t be reached for comments.

  • Police warn vehicle owners 

    The Lagos State Police Command has warned owners of abandoned vehicles parked at Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, to come with their original documents or lose them after 14 days.

    They are: Toyota Avalon marked AU 108 KTU, Toyota Corolla APP 834 BR, Nissan Xterra Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) GF 73 EKY, Volkswagen bus JJJ 632 XD, Honda Accord AV 279 KWL, Mazda 323 KSF 583 DG, Mazda bus FKJ 430 XF, Honda Accord JJJ 973 BX, Toyota Camry LSD 992 FK, Volkswagen golf LND 809 CF, Toyota Corolla EKY 738 CM, Honda Accord HL 953 EKY, Toyota Highlander KTU 893 FK, Toyota Corolla car FST 968 FE, Toyota Corolla MEK 660 AA, Toyota Corolla car LSR 74 FL, Lexus RX 330 EKY 246 FF, Volkswagen vanagon bus LND 463 XU, Mazda bus XQ 888 BDG, Lexus GX 470 KTU 981 DG, Volkswagen bus XM 604 AKD, Honda Accord FKJ 945 BJ, Toyota land cruiser CF 809 LSD, Honda Accord GZ 838 APP, Mitsubishi Outlander AAA 989 AY, Lexus RX 350 EKY 529 EP, Daewoo car KJA 103 EW, Toyota Camry APP 446 EJ, Toyota Corolla LSD 39 EF,  Toyota Highlander APP 996 ES, Honda Accord JJJ 835 EP, Nissan primera car APP 912 CK, Toyota sienna ABC 04 AL, Toyota Corolla SMK 850 FF, Toyota Camry AAA 405 FL, Toyota sienna EKY 434 CA, Toyota sienna LSR 246 EL, Honda CR-V MUS 169CD, Nissan Quest BDG 339 CA, Ford Truck XM 402 EPE, Honda accord DL 241 PPP.

    Honda Accord, Toyota sienna, Volvo s40, Toyota 4runner SUV, Lexus RX 300, Peugeot 306, Honda Prelude, all unregistered.

    Also at Epe Division: The vehicles are; one unregistered Scrapped Camry SS model; one Scrapped BMW with registered plate number GY 672KJA and one unregistered Nissa Altima.

  • PDP alleges intimidation of collation officers

    THE local chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has alleged that security operatives attached to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) were trying to intimidate electoral officers recalled to conclude the collation of results of the governorship election of March 9.

    The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had ordered the resumption collation of the results after it suspended electoral processes in the state following widespread violence.

    Details of the activities to conclude the process are to be released today by the electoral umpire.

    The PDP alleged that SARS men, on the orders of its top officers in Rivers, had invited INEC officers, returning officers and ad hoc staff participating in the collation to threaten and intimidate them.

    The Senator representing Rivers South-East District, Magnus Abe, said no one can handpick a governor for Rivers State.

    According to Abe, “the right to do so rests squarely on the shoulders of Rivers people to freely choose who will lead them.”

    Abe spoke at the funeral service of late Pa Macdonald Graham Harry, father of Dr. Ipalibo Harry, a Federal Commissioner at the National Population Commission (NPC), held at Saint Alban’s Anglican Church Obuama, Degema Local Government Area of the State.

    He condemned the violence that characterised the March 9, 2019, governorship and State House of Assembly elections in the state, describing it as a shame.

    The senator further said that the election was not only an embarrassment to the country, but unacceptable even as he wondered why people have failed to learn from the past.

    He said: “All across the country, you could see that the people tried to vote. They also tried to count their votes, but in Rivers State, the reverse was the case, because it is obvious that we did not learn from what happened in the 2015 general elections and draw our lessons appropriately.

    “I’ll like to appeal to Rivers people not to leave the future of our state in the hands of the politicians alone. This State belongs to all of us and no one man owns more or deserves more of Rivers State than others.

    “I was very clear when I called on our supporters in the state to vote for a candidate of their choice in the governorship election and not to vote for the governorship candidate of African Action Congress (AAC) because it was an attempt to single-handedly handpick a governor for Rivers people and he cannot.

    “That is the decision that all Rivers people have as a right to freely participate in a process to elect whoever will govern the state.”

  • Police arrest SARS officer, 31 others over student’s death

    The police have arrested 31 people in connection with arson which led to the burning down of a police station in Iwo, Osun State. The police station was razed by demonstrators protesting the killing of a student of the Federal Polytechnic in Iree (IREE POLY), Tunde Nafiu, by a Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operative, Lukman Gbadamosi, last Thursday.

    The protesters set the police station ablaze in the early hours of Friday.

    It was gathered that the late Tunde was shot while he was trying to board a commercial motorcycle in Ile-Ogbo area of the town. The deceased was said to be son of an Army General and a prominent chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC) in Aiyedire Local Government Area of Osun State.

    A statement by the Commissioner of Police, Mr Fimihan Adeoye, signed by the command Public Relations Officer, Folashade Odoro, said the alleged killer policeman had been arrested and taken to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo.

    The statement reads: “Information was received that an operative of the Special Anti Robbery Squad attached to the Area Command Headquarters, Iwo allegedly shot and fatally wounded one Tunde Nafiu ‘m’, aged 30 years at Agboigboro in Iwo.

    “The Area Commander immediately moved out, doused the tension and assured the gathered youths that justice will be done. The officer that allegedly fired the shot that killed the deceased was promptly arrested and transferred to the SCIID, Osogbo for interrogation.

    “In the early hours of 24/8/2018, a very large crowd of youths thronged the Area Command Headquarters to protest the killing. The protest was however hijacked by some hoodlums who took the law into their hands. In the process, they torched the buildings housing the offices and residence of the Area Commander as well as three patrol vans and two other vehicles belonging to the officers of the Area Command.

    “The police exercised restraint in order to prevent further loss of lives. However, the hoodlums were eventually dispersed while 31 of them were arrested and are undergoing interrogation. The situation has been brought under control while people are going about their lawful businesses.”

    Dauda Ahmed, an Iwo resident, confirmed the arrest of some of the protesters, but said residents had lost trust in the police to do justice in the matter.

  • How to overhaul SARS, by groups

    Two groups, the Access to Justice (A2Justice) and the Network on Police Reform in Nigeria (NOPRIN), have faulted the measures taken by the Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris to overhaul the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    They said the reform measures appeared to be a kneejerk reaction, which they described as “cosmetic”.

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo had last Tuesday directed Idris to immediately overhaul SARS by ensuring that it becomes an intelligence-driven unit.

    The presidential directive followed ceaseless outcries of Nigerians against the atrocities of SARS operatives.

    The groups said while they commend Osinbajo’s intervention, they regret that it took this length of time for Nigeria’s leadership to rise to the occasion and act.

    According to them, had SARS been reformed sooner, it could have possibly saved hundreds of lives lost to police violence each year and spared many Nigerians excruciating and harrowing encounters with SARS operatives.

    The groups, in a statement by A2Jusice’s Director Joseph Otteh and NOPRIN’s National Coordinator Okechukwu Nwanguma, said the latest changes were mostly a rehash of old policies.

    “Late last year, the IGP had promised that the SARS unit would be revamped, announcing measures similar to the ones he has now outlined, but the promised changes did not materialise and SARS personnel continued to prowl the landscape with accustomed impunity.

    “After a review of the IGP’s new ‘overhaul’ order, we are convinced the measures come too short, and do not go far enough of what is needed to reform SARS.

    “The measures first of all appear like a knee-jerk reaction to the Presidential directive, having been announced just on the heels of the directive.

    “Such speed does not provide evidence of thoughtful reflection, sober deliberation, wide and strategic consultation on an issue of such huge public importance. The IGP over-sped on the response in a way that questioned his genuineness of purpose,” they said.

    According to A2Justice and NOPRIN, there are no measures of accountability for unlawful actions proposed in the new policies.

    They noted that the IGP provided communication channels for reporting grievances against FSARS, but did not commit the police to ensuring that every complaint atives will be promptly and fairly investigated, and where substantiated, result in a definite outcome.

    They pointed out that the police had always had communication lines for reporting unlawful or unprofessional behaviour of its officers but with no action taken; instead complainants are sometimes turned to crime suspects.

    “The internal police complaint procedure is abjectly unreliable and uninspiring,” the groups said.

    Besides, they said the IGP failed to offer concrete proposals for ensuring safeguards against abuses.

    Specifically, they said there were no measures/guarantees for protecting complainants, ensuring complaints get fair and speedy consideration, and that complainants are not subjected to reprisal attacks or persecution by persons within the police system

    “A2Justice and NOPRIN, therefore, call on the IGP to go back to the drawing board, and fashion a new, more embracing and inspiring set of reforms for SARS – a set of measures more credible, purposeful and efficacious than the ones he has just released.

    “In addition to this, A2Justice and NOPRIN urge the IGP to undertake similar but far-reaching measures to reform the police force as a whole, and not focus on SARS alone.

    “The police force has been systematically degraded over the course of several decades, and is too broken, at this time, to offer services that meet the professional policing needs of Nigerians.

    “Undertaking a holistic reform is needed to ensure that reforms of any Units within the police force stand a chance of succeeding. If the police force remains the way it is, the overhaul of the SARS unit will largely be unfruitful and unsustainable over time,” the groups said.

    A2Justice and NOPRIN urged the Presidency to order the rejuvenation of the Police Service Commission (PSC), which they accused of inertia.

    “Since 1999, that body has stayed inert, and neglected to perform its more important constitutional role in ensuring the police force is accountable; delegating, instead, its disciplinary functions to the same people it ought to oversee.

    “This is a major anomaly that has contributed to the sustained culture of impunity within the police force and must be addressed simultaneously with efforts to reform the police force.

    “A2Justice and NOPRIN urge the President to give directives that push the PSC into more active gear, to justify its existence and play its part in reforming Nigeria’s police force into a truly democratic institution,” the groups added.

     

     

     

     

  • SARS overhaul: Group makes case for detainees, hails Osinbajo

    A human rights group, Citizens Unite for Rehabilitation of Errants (CURE-Nigeria) has tasked the Nigeria police force to declare the number of detainees being held by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)  to the public.

    The group which hailed the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo,  for directing the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris to overhaul SARS, also demanded that all detainees and awaiting trials in the police cells and prisons across the country be charged to court to seek justice.

    CURE-Nigeria passionately appealed to the Federal Government to ensure that police carry out the action.

    In a statement made available to The Nation,  the organization’s Executive Director, Mr. Sylvester Uhaa, noted that the Acting President’s  directive, “although belated, is a welcome development and a right step in the reformation of the Police,” adding that,  “SARS has been identified with human rights violation and abuse of power, which has overshadowed its good work.”

    Uhaa, however, pointed out that, “although SARS has contributed tremendously to the fight against violent crimes and criminality, and to the maintenance of law and order, it has operated largely outside the law, earning a bad name for itself, the Nigeria Police Force, and Nigeria at large.

    Read Also: How to stop SARS’ brutality, by Falana

    “The operations of any law enforcement must be guided by the law that created it, not by lawlessness, arbitrariness and disregard for human rights, which has guided SARS operations since its creation. And we cannot allow this to continue.

    “But, we ask the Federal Government  to take a step further to direct SARS to charge all suspects in their detention camps to court so that suspects can have access to justice and fair trial and this may lead to some gaining freedom, as some of the suspects may be innocent of the alleged offences.”

    He further stated that,  “In addition, the Federal Government should direct the IGP and all detaining authorities to declare the number of people in their detention so that Nigeria will know the number of people in their detention facilities.

    “For now, we only know the number of people in prison, and this is not right. Suspects in police cells are left at the mercy of their captors and jailers, some of whom treat them like animals.

    “Finally, we demand that the current administration  make use of the recommendations made by Federal Government Committees on prison congestion in the past to decongest the prisons.

    “The continued detention of people without trial for years in our police cells and prisons violates the basic fundamental human rights to fair trial, equality of all human beings under the law and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and international human rights law.”

  • IG renames SARS ‘FSARS’

    …Personnel to undergo immediate psychological test

     

    In compliance with the Presidential directive that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) be overhauled, the Inspector General of Police  (IGP), Ibrahim Idris on Tuesday renamed the outfit.

    The outfit according to the Police chief will be known as Federal SpecialAnti-Robbery Squad (FSARS).

    The IG has also directed that all personnel under the new outfit should undergo medical and psychological evaluation.

    As part of the overhaul, the IG also ordered immediate redesign of new uniform with identity name tag for all FSARS personnel throughout the country.

    The IG has also appointed a new Commissioner of Police as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, Ag. DCP Jimoh Moshood.

    The police also stated that FSARS will be intelligence driven and be restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery, kidnapping and the apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences only.

    The statement reads : “The Inspector General of Police in compliance with the Presidential directives has ordered the immediate overhauling of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to address complaints and allegations on human rights violations against some of the personnel of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) from members of the public in some parts of the Country.

    “In the new arrangement, a new Commissioner of Police has been appointed as the overall head of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad nationwide.

    “The Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad previously 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) is answerable to the Inspector General of Police through the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations.

    “In observance of full compliance with the Presidential directives, the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad will be intelligence driven and will be restricted to the prevention and detection of Armed Robbery, kidnapping and the apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences only”.

    The statement continues: “New FSARS Commanders are being appointed for the Federal Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) across the country that will now exist and operate in the State and Zonal Commands under the Commissioner of Police (F-SARS) at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

    “A Federal SARS Commander of a Rank of Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) but not below Superintendent of Police (SP) will be in charge of FSARS in State and Zonal Commands across the Country”.

    Read Also: Osinbajo orders SARS overhaul

    Moshood said all Commissioners of Police have been directed by the IGP to comply with the directive with immediate effect and warn their personnel not to pose as SARS operatives.

    He said the IGP X-Squad and Monitoring Unit have been mandated to go round the Commands and Police Formations nationwide to ensure strict compliance with the Presidential directives and apprehend any erring police officer.

    The Police said some of the measures it would implement to ensure compliance with the presidential directives are: “”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.

    “Medical/Psychological evaluation of all FSARS personnel will be carried out immediately.

    “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 said it 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 Police also said a new training program to be organized by the Force in collaboration with some Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), local and international NGOs, and other Human Rights Organizations on core Police Duties, Observant of Human Rights and Handling, Care and Custody of Suspects have been directed by the Inspector General of Police for all Federal SARS personnel nationwide with immediate effect.

    The Force has also set up  a committee of Senior Police officers, Technical Consultants, Human Rights/Civil Society organizations (CSOs) to review the activities of FSARS under the new arrangement.

    The committee members are expected 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.

    The Force has also urged  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 to report through any of the following channels for investigation and redress.

     

  • Osinbajo orders SARS overhaul

    …Directs investigation of rights violations by squad

     

    Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo, SAN, has directed the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS.

    Any unit that will emerge from the process, he said, should be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences.

    According to him, the new unit that will emerge should not venture into any other assignment.

    Read Also: Osinbajo berates preachers for failure to preach against corruption

    These were contained in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Laolu Akande.

    The Acting President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the emerging Unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Human Rights Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects.

    The operatives, he said, should also bear proper identification anytime they are on duty.

    In the meantime, the Acting President has also directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a Special Panel that will conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.

  • NHRC to commence nationwide inspection of police cells

    The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has approved the nationwide inspection of Police cells by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

    The approval came after the Commission requested an independent inspection of police detention cells including that of Special Anti-Robbery Squad  (SARS) across the country.

    The inspection is expected to enable the Commission ascertain the condition of detainees and the state of police detention facilities.

    Read Also: Police parade man for impersonating Kogi Governor

    This is contained in a news bulletin in Abuja on Wednesday  by the Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit  (PCRRU), ACP Abayomi Shogunle.

    The bulletin reads: “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris has approved the request of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to commence an independent audit of detention cells in all police commands and formations in Nigeria including those of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    “These visits will enable the NHRC oversee the human rights situation of detainees as well as undertake general audit of the state of police detention facilities (cells) in the country.”

  • Offa bank robbery: Dismissed cop admits over 20 murders

    Says he was on a mission to kill policemen

     

    The dismissed Corporal turned leader of the armed robbery gang that attacked commercial banks in Offa, Kwara State, Michael Adiku has told detectives why he wasted many lives including those of policemen that day.

    Adiku, who said he was on a killing spree, told operatives of the Inspector-General of Police (IG) Intelligence Response Team (IRT) that he personally killed over 20 people, mostly policemen during the operation.

    The suspect said he deliberately killed those policemen that day because he has scores to settle with the system, adding that they took Tramadol and other hard drugs before embarking on the mission.

    Adikwu, a Corporal attached to the Kwara State unit of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), was dismissed after he was accused of freeing suspected armed robbers. He was later charged to court and sent to prison, where he spent three years.

    A police source who gave update on the case, told our Correspondent that from findings, Adikwu had vowed to deal with the police for dismissing and jailing him.

    He said: “Adikwu, while in prison, had been threatening to the hearing of other inmates, that he would kill as many policemen as possible once he had the opportunity. He said that since police dismissed and made him go to prison because he released armed robbers that he too would deal with the police.

    “He was the organiser of the robbery. He recruited other members and they had series of meeting while planning the attack.

    “The gang went to Offa three times on surveillance mission. The police station and banks were carefully studied.

    Read Also: Offa Robbery: Police arrest two wanted suspects

    “Adikwu led three others into the police station, while others stayed outside. They walked into the station as if they wanted to lodge a complaint with their pistols concealed under their clothes.

    “Immediately they entered, Adikwu said he shot the station guard he killed nine policemen at the station and carried their rifles.

    “The suspects confessed that they took Tramadol and other hard drugs before embarking on the operation. Over 30 people were killed that day and Adikwu said he personally killed over 20.

    “One of those he went into the police station with was Arrow (Kunle Ogunleye). They took those at the station by surprise and opened fire immediately they entered.

    “The attack on the police station was a vendetta led by the dismissed policeman. After the operation, he went to each of the banks which were being robbed to issue orders. He was captured on CCTV shouting at his members, telling them what to do and what not to do.”

    Continuing, the source said Ogunleye told them he did not fire any shot at the police station, adding that he killed about two people during the bank robbery.

    “He said It was Adikwu that shot and killed all the policemen. He went from one office to the next, killing everyone. They only gave him cover.”

    Another arrested suspect, Abel, the source said, confessed to killing five people, adding that he also sprayed bullets indiscriminately that injured many others.