Adamu Mohammed, the inspector-general of police, has announced the immediate disbandment of the special anti-robbery squad (SARS) following nationwide protests over its brutality.
He made the announcement at a press conference on Sunday afternoon in Abuja.
There have been protests across the country demanding the end of the police unit which is notorious for human rights violations.
Owing to the mass outrage, the IGP had banned operatives of SARS, the Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from undertaking routine patrols as well as stop and search duties.
The IGP also promised to reform SARS.
But Nigerians were not pacified by this owing to similar promises of reforming the unit in the past which failed.
Citizens persisted in protests which soon gained global attention as world figures and celebrities joined in.
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The police unleashed violence on citizens protesting against police brutality. At least one protester, Jimoh Isiaq was killed in Ogbomosho in Oyo state on Saturday.
The police also dispersed a crowd of protesters in Abuja with live bullets, water cannons and tear gas on Sunday
