A girl carries a placard reading ‘Special Anti-Robbery Squard Kill, SARS Rape, SARS Extort, End SARS Now’ in continuation of ongoing demonstrations to call for the scrapping of the controversial police unit at Ikeja, October 9, 2020. — AFP pic
The police statement also announced an investigation into allegations “of crimes committed against citizens”, adding that “the culprits will be punished”.Former SARS officers are to be redeployed into other units. In June, a report by Amnesty International listed what it alleged were 82 cases of torture, ill treatment and extra-judicial execution by the SARS between January 2017 and May 2020.It accused the squad of the “systematic use of torture” and alleged the existence of torture chambers within the Nigerian Police Force.A “Citizens’ and Strategic Stakeholders’ Forum” will have regular contact with the force at all levels to address issues of concern, it said.