Now that SARS has been disbanded, what next?

We are witnesses to the circumstances that led to the Inspector General of Police disbanding one of the operative arms of the Nigeria Police Force, the ubiquitous and erstwhile Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on Sunday. There is no doubt that this action was quite commendable given the allegations against its members.

However, the question remains, what do we do with these police officers; do we absorb them into the system and deploy them to various police formations, divisions and outposts across the nation?

There is no doubt that the members of the disbanded outfit are very experienced, courageous, better equipped and better trained than most of other policemen and women.

It is therefore imperative for the nation to utilised these qualities. What the IGP can do is to send members of the squad for a special training at the Nigerian Army Special Forces School in Buni Yadi, Yobe State. After that, they should be deployed to the northeast to form the nucleus of those that would relieve the military in the liberated areas and towns. This will enable the military to concentrate more on the Lake Chad Basin general area, especially the Tumbus, where the remnants of the Boko Haram terrorists are hiding.

This is in tandem with the history and doctrine of Special Forces all over the world, where small groups of highly trained, rugged and crack minded corps formed the basis of what most societies are employing all over for settling unconventional crises.

This will also enable the police to regain its sting , which it enjoyed in those days when mobile policemen were rolled out to quell crises and take its constitutional role of handling internal security.

The Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission and the Inspector General of Police should also take advantage of this opportunity to reposition the Nigeria Police Force.

Abdullahi Magaji, Kaduna, (abdullahimagaji@outlook.com)