New IG of Police restores SARS and disbands the other tactical units
Following a series of event and reports about the unprofessional behavior of the then State Anti Robbery Squad SARS, SARS was reorganized by former IG of Police Ibrahim Idris to become Federal SARS (FSARS).
Nigerian even protested the activities of SARS through the #EndSARS campaign. Is then changed to FSARS.
From then it means the operations of SARS were centralized. The office of the IG of Police was in charge of it.
The new IG of Police Mohammed Adamu while making an announcement on Monday the 21st of January 2019 in Abuja at his inaugural conference with Commissioners of Police and Senior Officers Said that SARS will now work under the direct supervision of the States Commissioners of Police.
The former IG of Police, Ibrahim Idris during his time in office, established the IGP Special Investigation Panel and the IGP Special Tactical Squad and the centralized the operations of SARS in the Federal SARS.
All these tactical units that were established by the former IG of Police have all been disbanded by the New IG of Police. However, the force headquarters unit of SARS would be under the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG), Federal Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.
Mr. Adamu said that comprehensive reforms in terms of nomenclature, orientation, mode of operation etc of SARS will be undertaken.
However, the new IG of Police announced the creation of a Special Election Investigation Team that will be saddled exclusively with the function of investigating and prosecuting electoral offenders.
Mohammed Adamu asked the various commissioners of Police to evaluate the SARS units in their command and report back to his office within two weeks.
He also said that the reason for the reorganization is to restore order and stop the current slide in policing standards and also that it will discourage the proliferation of multiplicity of police outfits competing for operational space in an unprofessional manner.
He finally charged Police officers to remain dedicated to their duties by exhibiting the highest level of leadership and character.