There were protests in some major cities yesterday – for and against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the police anti-violent crimes fighting machine.
The unit has been accused of brutality against innocent citizens.
A group of people promoting the scrapping of the unit surfaced in the social media recently, using the #EndSARS hashtag.
Following the massive campaign, Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris promised to restructure and reposition the unit. Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said to end SARS was to leave the field open for armed robbers to operate freely.
In Abuja, Awka, the Anambra State capital, and Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, protests erupted yesterday.
In Abuja, the Concerned Men and Women Association of Nigeria, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), rejected the call for the SARS to be disbanded.
The coordinator of the association, Alhaji Sanusi Ajiya, said Nigerians do not support scrapping the unit.
SARS protests rock cities
