S.A.R.S.: A Legacy Of Brutality Continues

Nigeria’s notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (S.A.R.S.) has been dissolved after large-scale protests from Nigerian citizens.

The S.A.R.S. has a long track record of brutality, including alleged kidnapping, extortion, rape, and extrajudicial killings. The squad was formed in 1992 in the hope of decreasing violent crime in the major city of Lagos. Initially only 15 members, the S.A.R.S. traveled in unmarked cars, without uniforms or name tags. As the squad grew, this anonymity allowed them to operate under the radar – any crimes they committed could not be matched with their perpetrators. This lack of accountability is an ineffective and dangerous feature for anyone in law enforcement.

S.A.R.S. members have been accused of targeting and robbing well-dressed young people, mostly between the ages 18-35. The squad often inflicts torture on those who do not comply with their demands, using methods like hanging, sexual abuse, and mock execution. An investigation conducted by Amnesty International exposed a history of abuse of detainees in S.A.R.S. custody, under the supervision of high-ranking officers. The investigation documents 82 reports of abuse and extrajudicial killings committed by the S.A.R.S. from January 2017 to May 2020.

Nigerian authorities have not prosecuted any accused officers from the S.A.R.S., despite the 2017 Anti-Torture Act and mounting evidence of ill-treatment.

“The complete failure of Nigerian authorities to bring an end to the gross human rights violations perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad or to bring any S.A.R.S. officer to justice is shocking and unacceptable,” said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria. “Nigerians are outraged by the systemic human rights violations perpetrated by the S.A.R.S. with impunity.”

Nigerians started calling for the government to dissolve the squad in 2017, but the outcry was met with lip talk and plans were never officialized. Then the #EndSARS hashtag turned that outcry into a movement in 2018. The hashtag began as an online crusade, but quickly evolved into nationwide protests. A majority of the participants fighting for justice have experienced S.A.R.S. abuse firsthand. At least 10 deaths resulted from the recent protests.

Those protests only intensified after videos on social media exposed officers firing live rounds at, targeting a water cannon at, and using teargas on fleeing civilians. The Nigerian diaspora in cities like Atlanta, Berlin, and London has also held protests in solidarity.

Nigerian law protects the right to protests, but movements are often seen as threats to stability and thus quickly stifled. Security cameras in Lagos, for example, were recently removed. This allows government-ordered soldiers to continue brutalizing peaceful protestors, who have delayed access to emergency services.

The #EndSARS campaign has five key demands: the immediate release of all arrested protesters, justice for those killed by police brutality, an independent group to investigate the accusations, a psychological assessment and re-training for all S.A.R.S. officers, and a pay raise for police officers in compensation for their active protection of citizens.

Now that the S.A.R.S. has been dissolved, its officers will eventually be re-deployed to different assignments. But willingness to inflict torture on innocent civilians is a mindset, and does not evaporate with training. Wrongdoings in law enforcement must be met with swift justice and accountability, not an opportunity for reassignment. S.A.R.S. officers should lose their licenses. When they neglect their duty to protect the citizen, consequences must be served.

President of Nigeria Muhammadu Buhari tweeted, “The disbanding of S.A.R.S. is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and the livelihood of our people.” Buhari plans to replace the squad with a Special Weapons and Tactics (S.W.A.T.) team, which he says will decrease violent crimes. The new team will undergo tactical training and psychological and medical exams.

But this move has also been a topic of protest. “This [the movement] is not just about S.A.R.S., it’s about ending police brutality,” Ikechukwu Onanuku, a protestor in Lagos, said. Replacing the S.A.R.S. with a S.W.A.T. team won’t change anything if that team is also allowed to commit brutalities and torture civilians with impunity. Corruption must be uprooted from all levels of government and all police departments in order for Nigeria to achieve long term stability.

Nigerian protesters have vowed to maintain their momentum, to seek justice for victims and to disband all units that have been accused of human rights violations. “We won’t stop, we’ll be here tomorrow and the next day and next year until there’s change,” Onanuku said. “People are fed up, not just here but globally.”

Nigeria must fully analyze all its police departments, in all cities and regions. It is time for the Nigerian government to ensure its peacekeepers protect its civilians.

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