Weeks of protests by young people against police brutality convinced Nigeria’s government to disband its controversial Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) police unit, but the move may not be the victory for the protesters that it appears to be. In fact, disbanding SARS may ironically lead to more, not less, armed security presence on Nigeria’s streets
Although Nigeria suffers from much violent insecurity, it is actually an underpoliced society. The country already has a shortage of police officers, and if their number is further reduced, the government may once again (as it usually does) call on the Army to substitute for, or support, the police. This could lead to more clashes between the Army—which has also been accused of human rights abuses—and civilians.
