Isa Misau, Senator representing Bauchi Central at the National Assembly, has taken the campaign for the scrapping of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police Force to the Senate.

Misau, a retired police officer, raised the issue as a point of order on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, calling for an investigation into the allegations of human rights violations by SARS personnel over the years.

The hashtag EndSARS has been dominant on Twitter since the weekend, many Nigerians recounting their negative experiences at the hands of SARS operatives.

“Mr. President, I have in the last few months received several petitions from my constituency against SARS,” Misau said.

“The complaints vary from extra-judicial killings, brutality, torture, arrest for bribe and other menacing conduct by the men of the unit.

“Most of the tweets with the hashtag, EndSARS, reported several cases of harassment, and arbitrary arrest of Nigerian youths labelling them Yahoo Boys.

“Mr. President, the complaints have ranged from how officers waylaid citizens at ATM points to how they often threaten to kill, avowing they will get away with it. There are specific cases of how SARS officers allegedly murder citizens for declining to pay bribes.”

Misau added; “SARS is supposed to be a section in each state command criminal investigation department with the sole responsibility of handling armed robbery cases; it is answerable to the state commissioner of Police.

“It is dangerous for us to have a unit of the Police Force act as if it is above the law. We must now take a major decision to end SARS until a unit built around the rule of law and human rights observance is created by the police.”

“I’m aware that in 2015, the then IGP, Solomon Arase, had due to incessant reports of abuses by the squad split SARS into two units with a view to checking its human rights abuses.

“This was done to ensure that officers don’t make arrests and investigate the same case. However, the abuses have continued.”

Responding to Misau’s comments, Bukola Saraki, Senate President, said the issue must be given urgent attention.

“I think it is clear that something wrong is going on and it needs urgent attention,” Saraki said before referring the matter to the Senate ad hoc committee on security.

Misau has been in a running battle with the Police leadership over the circumstances surrounding his retirement.

The Police maintained that Misau deserted the police and fraudulently procured the retirement certificate he presented to INEC during his election.

But the Police Service Commission said Misau’s retirement letter was genuine and that he retired the proper way.

Currently, Misau is facing a libel suit filed against him by Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police, over his allegations that Idris collects billions in bribes monthly from top companies and individuals before providing them with special police security.

The case is still at the FCT High Court in Abuja.