Fear As Angry Youths Disarm SARS Operatives
There was panic in Gwari market, Mina, Niger State on Thursday over the forceful invasion of the market by heavily armed operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Mouthpiece NG gathered that five of them stormed the popular market in a commando style in the early hours of the morning.
The operatives were apprehended and disarmed by angry youths who mobilized to the market suspecting they were kidnappers.
One of the traders in the market said, “the incident occurred few days after a kidnappers den was discovered by the police in the area, which must have prompted the youths to react swiftly.”
She said the armed men, dressed in police uniforms and carrying AK-47 rifles, looked suspicious especially as they tried to ‘kidnap’ a trader upon their forceful invasion.
The armed men were said to have stormed the market and proceeded immediately to the shop of a prominent trader and tried whisking him into a waiting vehicle.
“The attempt to kidnap another trader made us to raise the alarm, which attracted the youths who mobilised to stop the act despite attempts by the armed men to stop them by shooting into the air.
“The youths proceeded to lock all the gates leading to the market to prevent the armed men from leaving the market,” she added.
The youths were able to disarm the officers with the support of market vigilantes and handed them over to the market police station before the arrival of police squad from the divisional headquarters.
Whilst the policemen from the headquarters were in the market, Mouthpiece NG learnt that some angry youths descended on the vehicle that brought the SARS men, broke its windscreen and deflated the tyres to prevent any attempt to escape.
“The armed men were taken out of the market to avoid further provocations from the youths,”
Confirming the development, the Niger State Police Spokesman, DSP Muhammad Abubakar, said investigation showed that the men were from Lagos State police command, and on a “special assignment” in Niger State.