“Nigerians will no longer accept the brutality being unleashed against them by SARS on an almost daily basis,” said Osai Ojigho, Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.

“SARS is a police unit created to protect the people. Instead, it has become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption,”  cried  Amnesty International Nigeria.

The above reaction was induced by killing of a young man named Kolade Johnson, by an alleged member of SARS.

Kolade Johnson was reportedly shot accidentally by SARS officers who had been pursuing another man at the football viewing center.

“Kolade Johnson is the latest victim of the SARS police unit which has become notorious for extrajudicial killings, torture, and extortion,” said Osai .”

“This appears to be an unlawful killing which must be impartially and thoroughly investigated, with any officers suspected of criminal responsibility for wrongdoing brought to justice in a fair trial before an ordinary civilian court.”

“It is shameful that more than two years since Amnesty International highlighted crimes under international law and human rights violations by SARS, these shocking incidents continue unabated.”

Amnesty International said its investigations into the activities of SARS across Nigeria since 2016 have exposed the callous workings of a police squad operating outside of the law.

“The September 2016 report ‘Nigeria: You have signed your death warrant’ showed how the unit has been systematically torturing detainees as a means of extracting confessions and bribes.

The agency observed also that the Justice system has failed to curb the excesses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit.

“All subsequent government pledges to reform SARS, including one by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo in August last year, have amounted to nothing.”

“In addition to its stated remit of tackling violent crime, in some cases, SARS investigates civil matters and has tortured detainees involved in contractual, business and even domestic disputes.

“Victims of SARS crimes are often legally powerless to defend themselves against criminal accusations and torture.”

“Much more needs to be done to end human rights violations by SARS, including unnecessary and excessive use of force, extrajudicial killings, torture, arbitrary detention, and extortion. Wide-ranging reforms must be carried out so that Nigerians can trust the police to protect them,” said Osai Ojigho.