Bank of America just raised its EUR/USD forecast
(Adds public response to disbandment)
By Alexis Akwagyiram and Abrahim Achirga
LAGOS, Oct 11 (Reuters) - The head of Nigeria's police
dissolved its Special Anti-Robbery Squad with immediate effect
on Sunday, a police statement said, prompted by days of protests
across the country against alleged brutality by the
controversial unit.
The protests broke out after a video circulated last week
allegedly showing members of the unit - known as SARS - shooting
dead a man in Delta state. It also prompted a globally-trending
social media campaign to abolish the squad.
Demonstrators also alleged that police shot dead another man
while marching in the southwestern city of Ogbomosho on
Saturday. Police did not respond to requests for comment on the
allegations.
"The dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of
the Nigerian people," the police statement said.
It added that the police was redeploying unit members and
would announce a new strategy to tackle SARS' remit of fighting
armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crime.
Protesters and rights groups met the announcement with
scepticism and calls for justice. Police officials and
politicians have said they were disbanding or reforming SARS
multiple times in recent years, with little visible change,
critics say.
"They all need to be punished or disciplined," said Charles
Avackaa, a Lagos media executive who alleged SARS officers have
extorted 100,000 naira ($262.7) from him.
"But they mess up and (their bosses) carry them and put them
somewhere else, there is nothing on how they operate," he said.
For years, Nigerians have accused SARS of heavy-handed
methods, particularly the young, who say officers regularly
target, beat and extort them.
An Amnesty International report in June documented 82
alleged cases of SARS mistreating, torturing and
extra-judicially executing detainees.
On Sunday, Nigerian police used teargas to disperse hundreds
of protesters in the capital Abuja, a repeat of what witnesses
said were similar events on Friday. = 380.6000 naira)