The formation of the new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) to replace the defunct Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) by the Nigeria Police, in response to the #EndSARS protests across the country has drawn heavy criticism. The public outcry against the unscrupulous activities of FSARS operatives culminated in a demand for holistic police reform, which cuts across the review of police welfare, adequate training and scrutiny of the quality of persons recruited into the Force.
With the Federal Government describing the disbandment of FSARS as a first step to reforms, it was expected that the police would have consulted widely with relevant stakeholders before unveiling a replacement for FSARS, as the unit had been banned severally in the past, only to resurface, making Nigerians question the authenticity of the most recent disbandment.
Upon the disbandment of FSARS, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed Adamu ordered all former operatives of the unit to report to the Police headquarters in Abuja, where they were expected to undergo medical evaluation before being redeployed to other departments and units of the Police Force. Potential SWAT operatives were also required to undergo medical examination before resuming duties. The IGP reiterated that no personnel of the disbanded FSARS will be a member of the new tactical team, SWAT. The Police had also announced that operatives of the new SWAT would be young, smart, physically fit officers with not less than seven years work experience and clean service records. The Nigeria Police announced that training for SWAT personnel commenced on Monday, October 19.
However, Nigerians have expressed concerns over the composition of the new SWAT. The Nigeria Governors’ Forum also questioned the rather premature creation of the new team. These concerns border on the possibility that members of the disbanded FSARS could easily become part of the new SWAT, in which case the police would have only given a new name to the same set of people, who have brutalised citizens over the years.