The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, has banned operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties.

Other tactical squads banned from routine patrols include; the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels.

This development comes after disgruntled Nigerians took to social media to campaign against the police special anti robbery unit.

Nigerians across the country have complained that operatives of SARS harrass and exploit them for possessing expensive phones, and dressing neatly.

Eons Intelligence had earlier reported that Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, while responding to the complaints from Lagosians, promised to address the issue of exploitation and corrupt practices of SARS operatives.

However, this is not the first time operatives of SARS has been banned by the IGP.

In Febraury 2020, the IGP placed a ban on SARS operatives. The Anti-Robbery unit has also been banned in December 2017, in August and September of 2018.

The IGP disclosed this in a statement signed by Frank MBA, Force Spokesperson, on Sunday, October 4, 2020.

The statement reads; "No personnel of the Force is authorised to embark on patrols or tactical assignments in mufti.

“They must always appear in their police uniforms or approved tactical gear. The IGP’s directives come against the backdrop of findings by the leadership of the Force that a few personnel of the Tactical Squads hide under these guise to perpetrate all forms of illegality, contrary to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement establishing the squads.

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“Specifically, the IGP has warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly through indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices.

” They are to concentrate and respond only to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.

“The IGP notes that the FSARS and other Police Tactical Squads remain a critical component of the Force in confronting prevailing and emerging violent crimes in the country.

“He however condemns every act of unprofessionalism, abuse of human rights and high-handedness by some personnel of the Squads.

“He has therefore ordered the X-Squad and the Monitoring Unit to embark on immediate and massive nationwide monitoring of activities of Tactical Squads and other police officers on the road.

“They are to ensure prompt arrest, investigation and prosecution of all erring police officers who violate these directives and other extant regulations of the Force."

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