…Kaduna, Abuja commands affected
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim
Idris, has ordered the immediate transfer of over 215 policemen attached to the
Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, Lagos State Police Command and
Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), Adeniji Adele, Lagos.
The policemen were said to have received the news
through their colleagues at Force Headquarters, Abuja. The complete list of
policemen transfer was sent via internet to affected colleagues.
The police signal, showed names of affected
policemen and where they had been transferred. The signal was dated September
9, 2016 and signed by Commissioner of Police, in charge of welfare. The signal
is expected to reach Lagos today.
The transfer and posting, which came while many of
them, who are Muslim faithful were celebrating sallah festival, was greeted with
mix feelings.
It was gathered that the same mass transfer and
posting is being replicated at the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS)
Annex, Adeniji Adele, Lagos State, where over 50 FSARS were transferred. The number
of those affected in Lagos Command is over 165. The 50 operatives from FSARS, were
all moved to Ondo State Police Command.
Others commands affected in the mass transfer of
SARS operatives are Abuja and Kaduna commands.
The SARS operatives are expected to soon start
leaving in batches to their new places of posting.
A police source said that all the affected policemen
are between the ranks of corporals, sergeants and inspectors.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai
Owoseni said he was not aware of the mass transfer.
The IGP, Idris didn’t pick his call or reply text message
of our correspondent. The Force Image maker, Don Awunah also didn’t pick his
calls.
A police source revealed that senior police officers
(SPO) might be the next policemen that would be moved.
It was further gathered that none of them were
posted to SARS department in their new stations.
The source said: “They were all removed from SARS.
They were moved to other departments and duties.”
One of the policemen described the move as a total
clean out of SARS operatives, Lagos State Command.
Another alleged that only 20 SARS operatives are
left behind, awaiting arrival of new SARS operatives, from other states to join
them.
Some of the policemen were transferred to Plateau,
Ekiti, Kogi, Ebonyi and other states.
The reason for the mass transfer is yet unknown, but
SARS operatives, who spoke under condition of anonymity, said: “They said SARS
operatives were no longer working and appeared to have down tools. They also
accused us of hobnobbing with armed robbers.”
While some of the SARS operatives were said to have
been demoralized by the sudden forthcoming announcement, others said it was
good riddance to Lagos State Police Command.
One said: “They say we don’t fight armed robbers,
but we do. This is despite the fact that we don’t have equipment to work with. Most
times, when we go out on operations, it’s like going on a suicide mission. We
are each given five ammunitions! If there’s a gun battle between us and armed
robbers, how long will it take for five bullets to run out? If you want to stay
alive, you buy ammunition yourself. Most of us buy bullets ourselves. We’re
tired of spending our money.”
A policeman attached to FSARS said: “We heard about
the transfer, but there’s no official confirmation yet. In fact the rumour is
so thick, that some officers have been mentioned as those affected. We are
however, waiting.”
It will be recalled that the immediate IGP, Solomon Arase,
carried out the same exercise during his tenure.
Arase’s transfer back then, affected mostly Senior
Police Officers(SPOs), beginning with Assistant Superintendents of Police (ASP)
upward. The transfer was said to be the first massive ever in the Lagos
Command.
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