The UK government provided training and equipment to a notorious police
unit in Nigeria accused of torture and extrajudicial killings, one of Boris
Johnson ’s ministers has confirmed.


The minister for Africa James Duddridge admitted British officials had
trained officers from the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad
( SARS ) between 2016 and 2020 – having initially denied any ties.


In a letter sent to Labour MP Kate Osamor on Thursday, the minister said
SARS officers had participated in training “designed to improve human
rights, training on public finance, and community policing workshops”. He
also confirmed radio equipment was given to Nigerian police which was
then used by SARS.


Ms Osamor – who had demanded the UK government reveal any ties to
SARS – told The Independent : “It is shocking that in the middle of global
protests to End SARS our government appears to have had no idea
whether or not it was funding those very units.”


The MP said she had been told “categorically” by the minister earlier this
month that no funding ever made its way to SARS units. “The government
has now been forced to admit that it not only spent millions training
SARS but also directly supplied them with equipment.”



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