SARS Now Oppresses Masses — Atiku Abubakar

Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, has joined the renewed call for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, to be reviewed, describing the police unit as oppressors of the Nigerian masses.

Abubakar made the call in a series of tweets (a thread) on Friday, and had garnered over 12,000 re-tweets and more than 24,000 likes as at 4:44a.m. on Saturday.

Recall that in the wake of #ENDSARS campaign in July, SARS state offices were shut in a move to review the police special unit.

The Federal Government had ordered their offices outside Abuja shut, following the integration of both units (including Intelligence Response Squad, IRT) into the Force Intelligence Bureau, FIB “to ensure accountability and due process”.

The #ENDSARS campaign gained momentum again when its operatives reportedly murdered a musician, Daniel Ikeaguchi, aka Sleek, in Rivers State.

It is to this campaign Atiku lend his voice in his tweets.

Atiku Abubakar tweeted:

“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the @PoliceNG was set up to confront violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping and other related crimes.

“However, the unit has today morphed into an oppressor of the Nigerian masses, who strive every day for a better life.

“Reports of intimidation, harassment and outright extortion by officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) have continued unabated.

“I strongly condemn their cruel actions against our people, and I urge the government to rise to the occasion and nip this monstrosity in the bud with the seriousness it deserves.

“It is expedient that the activities of SARS are reviewed to ensure that the rogue elements are excised from the unit and sanity returned to its operations.”