#EndSARS: Founder Of Hated Nigerian Police Force ‘Feels Guilty’ & ‘Regrets’ Creating SARS
Amid the #EndSARS protests, Fulani Kwajafa, the founder of the hated Nigerian police force SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad); which is accused of human rights abuses; reveals he “feels guilty and sad” at what the agency has become, and “regrets” creating it back in 1984.
The retired Nigerian Police Commissioner tells BBC, “I have been hearing disheartening news, to the extent that I have thought to myself that it seems among the SARS officials, there are armed robbers. This is not why we created SARS, the reason is completely different, this is not the purpose. In fact, when I am mentioned as the creator of SARS, I feel ashamed. It’s a thing of regret for me. If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have created it because people who know when I established the unit always say to be, is it not Kwajafa’s baby? But this is not what I birthed, it has been changed.”
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In addition to the protests by citizens, many celebrities (Drake, Lil Baby, Tiwa Savage, Davido, WizKid, Burna Boy, etc.) have stepped up to use their platforms to speak out on the extrajudicial killings and torture alleged against SARS officers. And it appears change has come as President Muhammadu Buhari has announced the disbandment of the agency this past week, jointly revealing a new agency called SWAT (Special Weapons and Tactics Team).
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Wholly Kwajafa says:
My name is Fulani Kwajafa. I entered the Nigeria Police Force in 1984. Then robbery was prevalent, this was why Buhari was Head of State. He (Buhari) got a lot of complaint that people were stealing from each other, robbing people — he told me and Mr Inyang, the then IGP, that we must do something about it or be fired. Mr Inyang called me and told me to come up with a plan to save the country from thieves, so I said okay. I told him to give me his trust, resources and officers to start work. After four months of creating SARS, there was peace, those who were not caught ran, and those who were caught were sent to prison. This thing frustrates me, there is no reason why because someone commits a crime that the person should be killed. There are laws and no one will give an order that if you see armed robbers kill the person. I have been hearing disheartening news, to the extent that I have thought to myself that it seems among the SARS officials, there are armed robbers. This is not why we created SARS, the reason is completely different, this is not the purpose. In fact, when I am mentioned as the creator of SARS, I feel ashamed. It’s a thing of regret for me. If I had known it would be like this, I wouldn’t have created it because people who know when I established the unit always say to be, is it not Kwajafa’s baby? But this is not what I birthed, it has been changed.
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