The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force from embarking on routine patrols.
This IGP’s ban was contained in a statement issued on Sunday by the Force, Public Relations Officer, Frank Mba.
The statement said the IGP “banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc – with immediate effect.”
The officers were warned against wearing of mufti for any authorised or tactical patrols or assignment noting that they must always appear in their police uniform or approved tactical gear.
According to the Force spokesman, the IGP warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly.
READ ALSO: #EndSars; Nigerians Call For Ban On SARS Unit Of The Police Force
This, he said, included the “indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices,” adding that “they are to concentrate and respond only cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.”
Mba said the “directives come against the backdrop of findings by the leadership of the Force that a few personnel of the Tactical Squads hide under these guises to perpetrate all forms of illegality, contrary to the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP), Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement establishing the squads.”
While noting that the FSARS and other Police tactical squad remain a critical component of the Force in confronting prevailing and emerging violent crimes in the country,the IGP condemned every act of unprofessionalism, abuse of human rights and high-handedness by some personnel of the Squads.
READ ALSO: Saraki Calls On FG To Restructure SARS For Better Performance
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 police officers who violate these directives and other extant regulations of the Force.
According to Mba,the IGP has equally warned, that henceforth, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands and the FCT as well as their supervisory Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police, will be held liable for any misconduct within their Area of Responsibility (AOR).
He therefore charged them to ensure effective supervision and mentoring of the personnel of the Tactical Squads under their jurisdiction.
