[BREAKING] IGP Announces New Squad ‘SWAT’ To Replace Disbanded SARS

Posted by African Examiner African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Tuesday, October 13th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Barely over 24 hours he disbanded the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad – FSARS, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Adamu, has announced the Special Weapons and Tactics Team as a replacement for the sacked special police creation.

The announcement was contained in a statement by the Force Spokesman, DCP Frank Mba, in Abuja Tuesday.

The Police boss disclosed that the personnel from police commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State.

Adamu indicated further that the police commands in the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively.

Mba wrote that the IGP had ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

Further to this, IGP directed that the former SARS officers are expected to undergo the process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.

IGP statement read: “The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, today, 13th October 2020, in accordance with section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020, ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing, psychological and medical examination.

“The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.

“The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit, a unit, which henceforth, shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties. “

Speaking further, IGP pointed out that unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and Imams, public relations practitioners, civil society and other human rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.

Meanwhile, the police head has enjoined members of the public, particularly protesting citizens to exercise restraint, as well as allow measures being put in place to come to fruition and “engender a police force that would meet the yearnings and aspirations of the citizenry”.

Recall that the IGP following the #EndFSARS nationwide protests, Monday finally acceded to the public demand and announced the scrapping of FSARS.