How SARS Killed My Constituent, Senator Tofowomo Narrates

Senator Nicholas Tofowomo, representing Ondo South, on Friday narrated how members of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killed one of his constituents.

Tofowomo in a statement by his Special Assistant, Media and Publicity, Akinrinlola Olumide, in Abuja, also commended Nigerian youths for their protests against police brutality.

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmaker asked the Buhari administration to set up a judicial commission of inquiry “to probe the operations of SARS since inception in order to expose those officers that have killed innocent Nigerians illegally and prosecute them immediately.“

He said that men of the SARS had killed many innocent souls in Nigeria, including his constituent, Mr. Ogunwa Ololade, from Ode Aye in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State.

He said Ololade was killed while driving to his office in Ibadan by SARS operatives who shot sporadically while chasing some internet fraudsters called ‘Yahoo boys’ on February 5, 2019.

The Senator described the renaming of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team as an insult to Nigerians.

Tofowomo said the problem is beyond mere change of name, describing Nigeria’s internal security as a mess.

”I commend Nigerian youths for protesting the brutality of the notorious police unit known as SARS in recent days.

“While I stand by the youths in protesting the continuous killing of innocent souls by security operatives, especially men of the SARS unit, it is a slap on all of us – an insult to Nigerians; the mere change of name from SARS to Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) by the Inspector General of Police.

“The problem with the police system in Nigeria is beyond the naming and renaming of a particular unit.

“Nigeria’s internal security is a total mess, ranging from overgrowing police brutality, impunity, human rights abuses, decaying infrastructures, poor funding, unabating official corruption, analogue policing, and many others that could not be overemphasised.

”There is a need for police reform in Nigeria. The police system in Nigeria does not conform to contemporary society.”