By Akinwale Kasali
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu has come under criticism over the naming of the replacement for the defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, Special Weapon And Tactical Squad, SWAT. They say it is still the same old wine in a new bottle.
A former aide to former President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, lambasted the IGP for the establishment of SWAT, describing the disbandment of SARS and its replacement as a Greek Gift.
The Inspector General of Police had, on Tuesday, established SWAT to “fill the gaps” left by the notorious Federal Special Anti-robbery squad (FSARS). But Omokri said replacing SARS with SWAT was like NEPA changed to PHCN.
“The SWAT announced by the Police IG is a Greek Gift. Without weeding out errant cops and recruiting new blood, who must go through a different and better training than SARS, the SWAT will just be like when NEPA changed to PHCN.
“Never again must a NEPA certificate rule Nigeria. Never again. Never, ever, ever again,” he tweeted.
Bayelsa born singer, Timi Dakolo, mocked the new established SWAT by tweeting: “Oga mechanic please change the color of my Benz from Black to grey make we see if the engine go begin work well.. Nepa to Phcn,SARS to SWAT, OK.”
In the same vein, Television Presenter and film maker, Frank Edoho, in his words said “How can the new training begin next week when the very SARS you dissolved are still on the streets shooting and killing unarmed protesters?
“You just want to do what NEPA did. Different name, same darkness. We are just being deceived by these people”.
The IGP had, on Sunday, dissolved SARS nationwide, and on Tuesday established SWAT in its place. Its dissolution stemmed from the nationwide protest by Nigerian Youths against the brutalities, humiliation and extortion of the youths by the defunct SARS, asking for its end.
Even though the Government has dissolved it, and accepted the other requests made by the Youths, the street protests which have shut down many states have continued.
