Not Another SARS

The Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, recently established the Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) to combat violent crimes across Nigeria.

There is no denying that Nigerians no longer feel safe in many parts of the country. From kidnapping and armed robbery to terrorism and banditry, citizens are daily confronted with fear, uncertainty and rising insecurity. While security agencies have recorded modest successes in some areas, their inability in many instances to prevent attacks, respond promptly to distress calls and apprehend perpetrators has remained a major source of public frustration.

Against this backdrop, the decision by the Inspector-General of Police to establish a new elite unit appears aimed at strengthening the police response to violent crimes and improving operational efficiency.

However, the creation of another specialised police squad immediately revives painful memories of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which became notorious for brutality, extortion, unlawful arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings before it was dissolved in October 2020 following nationwide protests.

That experience alone is enough to make Nigerians view the establishment of another tactical anti-crime unit with suspicion, fear and apprehension.

Although the police authorities have assured the public that the VCRU will be intelligence-driven, professionally supervised and guided by respect for human rights, Nigerians have heard similar assurances before. Nearly every specialised police formation created over the years came with promises of professionalism and accountability. Yet many eventually became associated with abuse of power, harassment and other excesses.

From SARS to Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), Operation Puff Adder, Special Intervention Squad (SIS) and several other tactical formations before them, the pattern has remained largely the same. The country continues to establish specialised squads, yet insecurity persists while allegations of misconduct and abuse continue to trail some operatives.

This naturally raises an important question: does Nigeria truly need another elite tactical squad at this time, or should the existing police formations simply be strengthened and retooled to perform their constitutional responsibilities effectively?

The truth is that the major challenge confronting the Nigeria Police Force is not necessarily the absence of specialised units. Rather, it is the weakness of the institution itself. Poor welfare, inadequate training, obsolete equipment, weak intelligence gathering, poor funding and lack of accountability continue to undermine effective policing across the country.

Creating another tactical formation without addressing these deeper structural deficiencies could amount to little more than window dressing.

Ordinarily, the conventional police structure should possess the capacity to respond effectively to violent crimes if properly trained, equipped and motivated. A functional police force should not require endless layers of special squads before it can protect citizens from criminals.

What Nigeria urgently requires is a comprehensive reorientation of policing towards professionalism, intelligence-led operations, respect for human rights and community-based policing. Such reforms must begin with recruitment and training.

There is a pressing need to ensure that only competent and psychologically suitable individuals are recruited into the police force. In a country like Nigeria, where citizen data and identity management systems remain inadequate, there is always the danger of recruiting criminal elements into the security agencies.

Police officers, whether senior or junior personnel, must also be trained to see citizens as people to protect rather than targets for intimidation, harassment or extortion.

Furthermore, as the country gradually moves towards the 2027 general elections, the police authorities must recognise the political concerns surrounding the creation of another tactical unit at such a sensitive period. Nigerians have repeatedly witnessed situations in which security formations were accused of selective deployment, intimidation of political opponents and interference in democratic processes.

As a newspaper, we consider it necessary to sound a note of warning: the VCRU must not become a tool for partisan interests. Its operations must remain strictly within the bounds of the law and its national security mandate. Anything outside that would further erode public trust in the police institution — a trust deficit the force can scarcely afford.

More importantly, there must be effective oversight mechanisms. The unit should operate under transparent rules of engagement, while cases of abuse or misconduct must attract immediate sanctions. Internal disciplinary procedures alone are insufficient. There must also be independent civilian oversight to ensure that offending officers are not merely transferred to another command to continue the same misconduct, as has often been alleged in the past.

The Nigeria Police Force must understand that public confidence cannot be restored through public relations campaigns or the creation of new acronyms. Nigerians will judge the VCRU by the conduct of its operatives on the streets and during operations. Citizens will closely observe whether officers respect human rights and avoid arbitrary arrests, harassment, extortion and extrajudicial killings.

The establishment of the VCRU may indeed stem from a genuine desire to tackle violent crime more effectively. But unless the police leadership addresses the deeper institutional failings within the force, the country risks repeating a dangerous cycle in which every newly created tactical squad eventually becomes another national embarrassment.

Nigeria does not need another SARS in a different form. What the country urgently requires is a truly professional police force built on discipline, accountability, proper training and respect for the rule of law.

IGP Disu must understand that Nigerians are watching.