As the #EndSARS campaign begins to die down, TheCable reports that at least 32 operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) are in detention.

Highlights:

• The arrested officers were moved to Abuja from different state commands during the weekend.
• “The suspects, who are all male, are now being held at various detention cells of the Federal SARS at Guzape District Abuja,” a source said.
• “Since their arrival in Abuja, their family members and lawyers have not been allowed to see them based on an order from above.”
• The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, who reportedly ordered their arrests, is said to have assembled a team of top police investigators to look into their cases.
• They are being investigated for cases ranging from extortion, robbery, rape, among others.
• Lagos command has the highest number of suspects, next to the federal capital territory (FCT).
• “Their immediate orderly room trial and punitive measures will also become part of the ongoing moves to stem the tide of alleged impunity being campaigned against the police institution,” the source said.
• The Force Public Relations Officer, Jimoh Moshood confirmed the arrests but did not disclose the number of operatives in detention.
• “The nature of the investigation is such that if possible, the persons involved would be arrested,” Moshood said.

What this means: The #ReformSARS campaign, which is a counter to #EndSARS, might actually be taking shape.

Although, the cases of intimidation and indiscriminate killing of Nigerians might have led Nigerians to call for the total scrapping of the Police Unit, Idris, through, Moshood, has made it clear that the Police Force has no plans to listens to the calls of Nigerians.

We are not sure if this is a planned attempt to make Nigerians stand down but, we all know the Police Force, the investigation would take a long while and the narrative will go this way:

“The Police has not found any evidence against these officers who have been doing their job. Therefore, we implore Nigerians to help them and us by assisting in whatever way they can to end armed robbery in the country“.

At least, Moshood has repeatedly said that those calling for the scrapping of SARS are armed robbers, and the allegations are false.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram