Caleb Ijioma
CLAIM
Recently, different media platforms reported how a man named Fulani Kwajafa, a former Commissioner of Police was behind the creation of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in 1984. This have however gotten more popular on social media.
ROUNDCHECK FINDINGS
Roundcheck discovered that this claim was published on different news platform websites, Premium Times and The Cable . In the report published by these news platforms, it explains the reason why the Special Anti Robbery Squad was created
“Mr Kwajafa said there was an upsurge in violent criminal activities which prompted then military head of state, Mr Buhari, to direct Mr Inyang and his lieutenants to do anything to stem the tide of armed robbery incidents in the country or lose their job.”
“The IGP called me that we should do something to save the country from armed robbery incidents; I accepted the offer and requested for time and materials. I then mobilised personnel for the task,” Mr Kwajafa recounted.
”Four months after the formation of SARS in 1984, the unit flushed out the criminals and there was peace all over following the successful operation,” he said.” Read more on Premium Times
ROUNDCHECK FURTHER FINDINGS
However, there have been several reports about the formation of Sars. One of them include a report published by Vanguard Newspaper in 2017 speaking about how Simeon Danladi Midenda, a retired Commissioner of Police formed SARS in 1992. Read here: Vanguard
Also, according to wikipedia, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad( SARS) was formed in 1992 . This however makes the claim shaky and misleading.
THE DISBANDMENT OF SARS
On the 11th of October, the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Mohammad Adamu , orders the disbandment of the unit, SARS after citizens, home and in diaspora took to the street to protest against SARS. Read here: Guardian Newspaper
Few days after SARS was dissolved , the IGP, Mohammad Adamu disclosed to the public a new tactical team known as (SWAT – New Special Weapons and Tactics) Read here: Guardian Newspaper
CONCLUSION
The claim that SARS was formed in 1984 is misleading.
