Amid abuses, citizens decry government paying lip service to SARS reform

After a handful of Nigerians were slaughtered in Lagos, River, Delta, Ogun, and other states, matters got to a head last year with the emergence of the End Special Anti-Robbery Squad (END SARS) campaign, which was at the instance of an advocacy group that was opposed to its conduct, manner of operations and serial violation of human rights.

The Federal Government subsequently ordered the Police High Command to immediately overhaul the management and activities of the unit.

A half-hearted attempt at overhauling the troublesome unit of the force led to its change of nomenclature from SARS to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS), as well as the appointment of a new Commissioner of Police as the overall head of F-SARS. Not much has been achieved in terms of better performance since the so-called overhaul.