The claims by the police authorities in Nigeria over the abolishing of the murderous Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS across the country were a few days ago described as the lies of the millennium by some families in Anambra State whom their loved ones were allegedly arrested, and incarcerated in the building that housed the notorious outfit at Awkuzu, Oyi Local Government Area of the State.
An investigation conducted by our correspondent has revealed that while some of the officers attached to the defunct SARS with human hearts have abandoned the outfit and sought their services with other departments and units in the force, other officers that were there before their disbandment are still serving, including their Grand Commander, CSP Patrick Agbazue.
Although the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) DSP Ikenga Tochukwu discarded the allegation of the existence of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS in the State Police Command even as the PPRO when contacted said whoever that is linking the officers and men of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) Annex at Awkuzu as SARS operatives make a tissue of lies.
“There is no SARS in Nigeria and we don’t have SARS in Anambra State”. DSP Ikenga Tochukwu said.
But the family of Tobenna and Robison Adinnu, natives of Okija, Ihiala Council Area of the State that were arrested at Ihiala axis, a few weeks ago, allegedly whisked to Awkuzu in a commando style, went further to allege that some of the suspects arrested alongside their brothers now released, conferred on them that one of their brothers (Tobenna) did die inside the cell of the SARS at Awkuzu as he couldn’t withstand the torture he was undergoing.
On how they got to know that SARS still exists and operates in Anambra State Police Command, the Adinnu family member who spoke to our correspondent on anonymous condition, alleged that during the arrest, the policemen who came and arrested the suspects dropped a message with people who were around to inform the relations of the suspects to come over to Awkuzu SARS to see their brothers and sought their release.
“But when we went to seek the release of our brothers, the fearful-looking policemen at the entrance to the SARS office confronted and dispersed us from entering, with a serious warning that we should know that we were in the SARS office and that we should know how we talk or move.
“Two of our brothers, Robison and Tobenna Adinnu are from Okija but reside at Ihiala. Two of them were arrested alongside other suspects about a month now for the offense we are yet to be told by the men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS Awkuzu. We have gone to Awkuzu severally but they never allowed us access to meet with our brothers.
“We can say for sure that our brothers were arrested in their living apartments at Ihiala and other suspects arrested alongside our brothers but have bought their freedom in the hands of the SARS men, told us that Tobenna who is younger than Robison died inside the SARS cell while Robison was still alive during the period the released ones were allowed to go”. A female member of Mr. Adinnu’s family told our correspondent on phone.
Calling on the State Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng, and the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Akali Baba to persuade the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS Awkuzu, Anambra State Police Command to either release their brothers or charge them to Court if there is any offense holding them than detaining them perpetually, the worried family also calls on the Human Right groups to monitor the operations of the policemen at Awkuzu closely to avoid what triggered the End SARS in Nigeria not to repeat itself.
