Return SARS Operations To Its Old Order For Peace To Reign -Nigerians Urge IGP

PAUL IYOGHOJIE

Concerned Nigerians who have been following the protest in recent times by some Nigerians calling for the scrapping of the Operations of the Federal and State Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS from the Nigerian Police Force, have advised the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris not to heed the protesters calls, but instead return the FSARS and SARS operations to its old order for peace to reign.

They said that the current protest by some Nigerians against the SARS Operatives appeared to be  political or for selfish reasons, thus warning that if the Federal Government and IGP Idris should heed the protesters calls to scrap the SARS, armed robbers, kidnappers, ritualists and other criminal elements would take over Nigeria within a short time.

Some Nigerians who spoke with PMEXPRESS in Lagos stated that the FSARS and State SARS operatives nationwide had been doing a good job in the fight against armed robbery, kidnapping, car snatching, truck and tankers hijacking on the highways and other vices, though they had not been perfect.

According to those Nigerians, the uncontrollable illegality by some overzealous SARS Operatives started some time last year when the operations of the SARS was decentralized nationwide and merged with the Police Divisions and Area Commands without provisions for monitoring.

They therefore appealed to the Federal Government and the IGP Idris not to be swayed by the calls for the scrapping of the SARS operation, but return the squad to its old order where their operations would be properly monitor.

According to Alimi Olagunju,a resident of Obalende, Lagos, “Unscrupulous and greedy SARS operatives started engaging in illegality with unmarked vehicles and arresting innocent people along the road and at bus stops and extorting money from them shortly after they were  merged with the Police Divisions and Area Commands without providing monitoring Unit to checkmate them.

He added that “Some of these operatives had invaded Obalende bus stop by Ajeniya Street junction and Obalende Road at night on several occasions with two unmarked Sienna Cars to arrest and bundle traders selling watermelon and pineapple and those selling beans, rice and Garri into their vehicles and at the end, extort huge sums of money from them and drop them off on the highway and escaped.

Olagunju then appealed to the IGP Idris to return all the FSARS Operatives back to the FSARS Office at Adeniji Adele Road,Lagos for effective monitoring of their Operations to serve the public better.

He added that the current DCP in charge of FSARS Lagos is a discipline cop who is capable of taming the excesses of the Squad.

On his own part, Mr. Anthony Okojie, who resides in Mushin area of Lagos, said, “I am appealing to IGP Ibrahim Idris not to heed the advice of the political protesters calling for the scraping of the FSARS and State SARS operatives. Instead he should return all the SARS personnels to their original offices where their Operations would be properly monitor.

He said SARS Operatives have contributed in no small way in sustaining the peace Nigerians are currently enjoying.