By Olakunle Agboola – Hundreds of youths including top celebrities have protested against alleged police brutality for days across Nigeria until President Muhammadu Buhari acted according to the demand of majority of Nigerian youths in disbanding the embattled Special Anti-Robbery Squad – SARS on Sunday, 11th of October 2020.
This was publicly announced by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar Adamu which resulted in a wide jubilation across Nigeria most especially the youths who mounted pressure on the government through a national protest.
Deji Adeyanju, a human rights activist said, the victory of disbandment of SARS did not easily come by but a great effort from the Nigerian youths who refused to be intimidated. “Our members were close to 200 in the Lagos protest. We were tear gassed, humiliated, chased and arrested but did not give up on our request, which was the disbandment of SARS who have killed several innocent citizens for no reason.”
Protester Tunde Adu in Abuja said, he has never seen Nigerian youths coming out together to fight for a common goal. He is of the opinion that the protest across Nigeria is a wakeup call to save the future of Nigeria. “I began to wonder if this is Nigerian youths, who I have thought are too timid to demand their right or saving their future. They sprayed tear gas on each and every one of us. It was so hot that I had to pour water on my face and likewise majority of us. We were so bold, fearless, and courageous and not backing down until SARS was disbanded. This shows the strength in our voices and this is just the beginning for great things in Nigeria.’’
The protest movement was initially aimed at the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), widely accused of unlawful arrests, torture and even murder, but has since broadened to include all police forces for restructuring to end brutality and unlawful acts against the Nigerian citizens.
While the SARS unit was suspended on Sunday, groups such as Amnesty International said the government had not gone far enough, pointing to previous unsuccessful attempts to ban the force. The #EndSARS hashtag is thought to have been first used in 2018 hoping if the ban this time around will speak volume.
There were more than 2.4 million tweets with #EndSARS last week Friday and by last week Saturday; it has become major trends across all social media platforms having several celebrities across Nigeria fanning the protest.
Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun popularly known as Wizkid in a video addressing a group of protestants in United Kingdom expressed gratitude to Nigerian youths who did not bow down to pressure and intimidation until SARS was disbanded. Likewise David Adeleke popular known as Davido was seen in a video showing support to a group of Protestants in Abuja on Sunday.
The endsars protest took another turn in Ibadan on Tuesday after the disbandment of the special force popularly known as SARS. Popular celebrities such as Toyin Abraham, Muyiwa Ademola, Laffup, among others led the protest in Ibadan which started from Iwo road to the Secretariat. They were seen holding different banners with loud inscriptions calling for the police reform, “No to bad governance, no to corruption, No to all forms of banditry and kidnapping.
The disbandment of SARS may not be a lasting solution as some Nigerians claim but a total reformation of the police force for effective security within the Nigerian states. Khafi Kareem (ex big Brother Nigeria housemate) has offered to assist the Nigerian Police Force with her over 10 years experience of policing abroad to see an end to the incessant killings of innocent Nigerians by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit under the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department.
Khafi, a Metropolitan Police Officer in the United Kingdom, who appeared on the Nigerian version of Big Brother made her offer known on Saturday while reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s address to EndSARS protesters. Also concerned Nigerians are of the opinion that there should be a good salary scale for Nigerian police and also, a proper school structure for policing should be part of the reformation.
Wale Thomas, a social crusader from Lagos is of the opinion that those agitating for the outright scrapping of SARS are definitely oblivious of the consequences of their agitations on the fight against armed robbery and other heinous crimes bedeviling the society at large. “The Country is presently facing serious security challenges and I will urge well-meaning Nigerians to be pragmatic in their approach against the disbandment of SARS and rise up to join the advocacy for the reformation of SARS to achieve optimal productivity and not get carried away by the phantasmagoria of deceits by sinister forces under the guise of #EndSARS.”
Dr. Victor Oladokun, a communication and media consultant, said the way forward is a complete overhauling of the Nigerian police force. He made this known in an interview last week where he proffered solutions to the ongoing #EndSARS protest across Nigeria. “There are a number of things that can be done to bring sanity to the Nigerian Police Force. Among other reforms, it should include the following:
- Psychological evaluations: some years ago, Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka called for all Nigerian policemen to undergo psychiatric evaluation. This was not an insult but an obvious necessity. That call still remains valid today.
- Set up an effective and independent anti-corruption unit to track down and investigate corrupt police officers from street level corporals to the highest levels of law enforcement.
- Abolish hazing and the brutalization of police cadets in training schools. Brutalized cadets eventually brutalize civilians. It is a learned behaviour.
- Set up new training institutions and standard operating procedures. Fire or release psychopaths and other officers deemed to lack basic qualifications suitable for the office they occupy.
- Remunerate police officers properly. By paying Nigerian police officers less than $100 a month, the Federal Government itself has sown the seed of corruption in the Force for decades.
- Provide police stations with adequate budgets. Several officers acknowledge that they fund the fueling of police vehicles, electricity generators at police stations, and the uniforms they wear with the proceeds of bribes received. Consequently, what Nigeria has is a vicious cycle of neglect and corruption.
- Decisively, make a public example of low and high ranking corrupt police officers on an ongoing basis, to serve as a deterrent to others. Kindly follow us on twitter:@AfricanVoice2
Oyo State, Nigeria
