Northern governors not advocating for return of SARS ― Governor Lalong

As controversies continued to trail the statement credited to Governor Simon Lalong on the disbandment of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the governor who is also the chairman Northern Governors Forum (NGF) has debunked the statement that Northern governors want the return of the disbanded SARS.

The governor in an interview with State House Correspondents in Abuja last week, shortly after his meeting with President Mohammadu, was quoted to have said Northern states have rejected disbandment of SARS, adding that the unit has been useful in the fight against insecurity in the North.

He was further reported to have said that SARS was not made up of bad elements alone as it also included personnel who were doing their work diligently, adding that what was needed was the reformation of the unit.

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However, the governor in a statement signed by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Dr Machan Simon Makut shed more light on his remarks.

The governor explained that there was no way the Northern governors will call for the resurrection of an already scrapped SARS as approved by the President and announced by Inspector-General of Police.

“What I simply conveyed in the interaction with State House Correspondents was the need for deeper and wholistic reform of the entire policing architecture in the country where he stressed the fact that despite the condemnable atrocities by some members of the dissolved SARS, there are some among them that are good and performed their duties diligently, and as such there should not be blanket condemnation.”

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The governor stated that he cited the examples of some Northern governors who testified that the disbanded SARS contributed significantly to the fight against insurgency, banditry, kidnapping and other violent crimes in their states.

Governor Lalong who reiterated his deep support for the agitation of a wholistic reform of the policing architecture which has commenced with the scrapping of SARS added that he will continue to advocate for further reforms such as the rapid implementation of community policing for which he has been a strong advocate.