THE defunct Special Anti Robbery Squad, SARS, headquarters at Awkuzu in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State regarded as the most notorious in terms of brutality was under lock Wednesday, even as #ENDSARS protesters paralyzed activities in Awka.

The protesters, who caused traffic gridlock in the Anambra State capital gave names of 12 persons who they claimed, were brutally murdered by Awkuzu SARS operatives within the past few months. They listed Onitsha, Oraifite, Ozubulu, among others as places where they were killed.

Although the usual beehive of activities associated with Awkuzu SARS had disappeared, some of the operatives were seen sitting in front of the office.

It was gathered that those being detained before the dissolution of SARS by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu were yet to be freed, just as several confiscated vehicles were still littered around the office.

One of the people whose relations were in detention at the time of the dissolution said nobody had briefed them on what to do, adding that he rushed to the place soon after the announcement of the dissolution, but there was nobody to attend to him.

Meanwhile, the SARS protest brought economic activities in Awka to a standstill for several hours as the protesters used the vehicles to block some of the major roads.

One of them, Mr Johnson Okemili who stood on top of one the vehicles, listed 12 names of people, mainly youths, who they claimed, were killed by operatives at Awkuzu SARS within the past few months.

According to him, the victims were murdered on mere trumped-up allegations of either being armed robbers without taking them to a court or being yahoo yahoo boys.

He said: “One of my friends lost his life because he asked why he was being harassed by SARS operatives. They kicked him and tortured him until he became unconscious and did not recover from it. I don’t know if they do not like people who look good or seem to be doing well in their businesses at a youthful age.”

He said it was not enough for the IGP to dissolve SARS and replace it with another outfit, arguing that it was just the name that had been changed

Source:- Vanguard