Coalition gives 21-day ultimatum for scrapping of SARS

Consequently, the group is giving the authorities 21 days within which to meet these demands failing which they will be compelled to resort to other measures to embarrass them into taking action.

The convener of the protest, Segun Awosanya, equally asked the Police Service Commission to set up a panel to reform the Nigeria Police Force.

Anxious by the campaign against of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), the Police High Command has promised to investigate complaints against SARS operatives, just as #EndSARS coalition has issued a 21-day ultimatum for the scrapping of the squad.

The Police PRO also announced that there is now a human rights desk where every complaint against the police or the squad can be directed to.

Habila assured the protesters that all the allegations against the SARS operatives would be probed and necessary action taken against errant operatives.

He noted that the misdeeds of a few bad eggs in the unit was not enough reason to dismantle the squad, adding that the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, should be supported to reposition the unit as he promised. The APC state chairman, Davies Ikanya, led a rally in support of SARS.

In response to the Inspector General of Police claim that he will reform SARS, Wike advised Nigerians not to be deceived because the Police High Command has concluded plans to turn SARs into a deadly election rigging outfit in 2019.

He urged members of the public with authentic report of misconduct of policemen including personnel of SARS to report to him.

Two policemen with the Rivers State Police Command were yesterday gunned down by hoodlums barely four hours after a protest and counter-protest on #End SARS in the state. They also demanded the immediate sack and prosecution of Rivers SARS commander, Akin Fakorede. He also called for independent investigation of the activities of SARS in Rivers State.

The National Secretary of the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, Folarin Olayinka, said the IGP should not be intimidated by the #EndSARS campaign.

"We demand for an outright scrapping of the entire SARS unit across the country".

He said: "We have a system where erring officers are disciplined, including redeployment, training and retraining to bring out the best from them.".

The protesters marched through the streets of Port Harcourt before terminating at the PDP headquarters where statements were made by the leaders.

Leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Rivers state led hundreds of youths and party faithful on major roads in Port Harcourt, calling on the Federal Government to disregard the #EndSARS.

The protesters, who however did not obstruct vehicular movement and other commercial activities in the city, held placards with the inscriptions like: " We are Nigerians, our rights no bi privilege, respect my right, end SARS, "I walk around with my laptop does not make me a Yahoo boy.

He attributed the relative peace existing in the state to the active and aggressive operations of that arm of the police force, insisting that any attempt to scrap the unit would amount to return of all forms of crimes and criminality in the state. Akin Fakorede, because he (Fakorede) failed to compromise.

They observed that "Nigerians have spent the last one week highlighting the travails many Nigerians suffer in the hands of SARS".

Meanwhile, the Anti SARS protest was led by the People's Democratic Party, PDP in Rivers state.