A human rights lawyer, Mike Kebonkwu, has cautioned that Nigeria risks sliding back into the repressive era of the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
He made the submission following allegations that security agencies, particularly the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT), have continued to engage in widespread illegal detentions and arbitrary arrests.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday, Kebonkwu, who is a Principal Partner, Konyen-Hi Kebonkwu Chambers, Abuja, raised the alarm of a resurgence of impunity, lawlessness, and Gestapo-style policing, especially by operatives of the IRT, whom he accused of operating without accountability or regard for constitutional rights.
The legal practitioner, while citing the case of Buba Mohammed, a resident of Girim village in Busari Local Government Area of Yobe State, revealed that the victim was picked up on March 17, 2025, and has since been held at the IRT facility in Guzape, Abuja, without bail or charge.
He described the unit’s modus operandi as a throwback to the now-defunct SARS, alleging that it has become a law unto itself, devoid of oversight or adherence to due process.
The lawyer said: “We have witnessed an alarming incidence of unlawful and arbitrary arrest and detention of citizens by law enforcement agencies, which has become commonplace. This is a widespread practice amongst security agencies, especially the Nigeria Police Force and the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in particular, which operates like a Gestapo, going to any part of the country to arrest and bring the suspects to Abuja and dump them in cells under dehumanizing conditions.
“It has metamorphosed into the disbanded dreaded Special Anti-Robbery Squads (SARS), operating without supervision or control. Their operations are not intelligence-driven in any sense of the word.
“It has become necessary to draw the attention of stakeholders and the general public in order to stem this ugly development of impunity and the arrogant display of power by security agents. The practice involves detaining individuals without charge and beyond constitutional limit, without the order of a court and without charges.”
Noting that unlawful arrest and detention is a serious violation of human rights and fundamental principles of justice, Kebonkwu noted that such tactics violate Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, which guarantees the right to personal liberty and mandates that suspects be brought before a court within 24 to 48 hours.
He lamented that citizens, especially young people, government critics, and journalists, are frequently detained without justification, denied medical care, and often subjected to torture and forced confessions.
The legal practitioner called for urgent government intervention to stem the growing abuse and restore public trust in law enforcement institutions.
He also demanded the investigation of all allegations of unlawful detention, an audit of IRT activities, and the creation of an independent oversight mechanism to monitor security agencies.(Guardian)
