The Inspector General of Police Mohammad Adamu has just announced the formation of a new police unit, Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) to replace the now dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Mr Adamu stated that prospective members of the new team would undergo tactical training, psychological and medical examination before admittance into the unit which is part of the 5for5 demands by the #ENDSARS protesters.
Recall that the campaign against police brutality being perpetrated by operatives of the defunct SARS unit got global recognition and participation which eventually forced the Nigerian government through the police leadership to disband the unit on Sunday, 11 of October 2020.
The head of Police said SWAT will fill the gaps left by the notorious SARS and that training for the new police formation will commence next week in Abuja.
The force spokesman Frank Mba said the IGP had also ordered all personnel of the disbanded SARS to report at force headquarters in Abuja for debriefing as they get reintegrated into SWAT.
“The Inspector-General of Police, IGP M.A. Adamu, NPM, mni has, 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,” Mba said.
Mba said prospective members of this new team will also “undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.”
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