The United Kingdom Government has admitted that it trained and supplied equipment to the now disbanded police unit, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The Government had earlier denied ties to the police unit accused of brutality, extortion and extrajudicial killings which spark widespread protests.

According to the Minister for Africa, James Duddrige, who confirmed the development, the British officials had trained officers from the disbanded SARS between 2016 and 2020, having intially denied any ties.

In a letter sent to Labour MP Kate Osamor on Thursday, October 29, minister Duddrige said SARS officers had participated in training “designed to improve human rights, training on public finance, and community policing workshops”.

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He also confirmed radio equipment was given to Nigeria police which was then used by SARS.

The letter read,"Following my letter, officials have conducted a deep dive and reviewed our recent CSSF programmatic support to determine whether any of our programmes worked with FSARS. Following this review, and in the interest of full transparency.

"I wanted to share the following information with you. Firstly, through our CSSF-funded Nigeria Policing Programme, which ended in March 2020, FSARS officers participated in training on amended Nigerian police guidance designed to improve human rights, training on public finance, and community policing workshops. 

"This was in support of our wider objectives to strengthen the capability, accountability and responsiveness of the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigeria Policing Programme was part of our Security and Justice Reform Programme, which is working to help deliver a criminal justice system that better protects the human rights of all Nigerians.

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"As a result of the Nigeria Policing Programme relationships between communities and the police improved in four states, trust was built, with communities and the police working together to resolve safety and security issues. 

"The Nigerian Police Force's recent adoption of the community-policing framework, developed by the Nigeria Policing Programme, is a positive outcome of the programme. Our support to civil society was instrumental in the recent passing of the Police Act by the President

"Secondly, through our support to the North East Public Safety and Security Programme (part of which is delivered jointly with USAID) radio equipment was issued to Borno Police Command by our implementing partner (Creative Associates) to increase coordination between police units working to improve local security and to counter violent extremist organisations. 

"Borno Police Command distributed two handheld radios and a vehicle mounted radio to the local FSARS Unit. These were returned and redistributed to other police units in Borno when FSARS was disbanded on 11 October The North East Public Safety and Security Programme is part of our North East Nigeria Security. Conflict and Stabilisation Programme, working to help stabilise one of Nigeria's poorest and most fragile regions."

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Ms Osamor, who had demanded the UK government reveal any ties to SARS, said: “It is shocking that in the middle of global protests to End SARS our government appears to have had no idea whether or not it was funding those very units.”

The MP said she had been told “categorically” by the minister earlier this month that no funding ever made its way to SARS units. “The government has now been forced to admit that it not only spent millions training SARS but also directly supplied them with equipment.”

She added: “The government now needs to explain how and why it ever felt it was appropriate to train and equip security forces which were known to have taken part in torture and extra-judicial killings.”

The EndSARS movement started in Nigeria during early October in revolt against police brutality. Nigerians demanded the disbandment of the unit accused by Amnesty International of torture and extra-judicial killings.

The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on October 11, announced the disbandment of the SARS, but protests have persisted as Nigerians demand wider law enforcement reform. 

The IGP subsequently announced that the disbanded police unit would be replaced with the Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) unit.

Mr Duddridge initially claimed in a letter to the Labour MP dated October 19 that the Foreign Office “does not provide and has not provided any support or training to SARS units or officers”.

However, in his most reply, the minister admitted UK training was given to SARS through the Foreign Office’s Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF). The Conservative MP said he had asked officials to go back and make a “deep dive” in funding streams.

Mr Duddridge said of the training: “This was in support of our wider objectives to strengthen the capability, accountability and responsiveness of the Nigerian Police Force.”