Why Nigerians Want an End to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)
Hello everyone, welcome to my post. The week has been a combination of terror, fear, protest and tears in Nigeria as Nigerian Youth clamor for a complete dissolve and ending of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a unit in the Police. This post will be as opened as possible looking into why the unit was created and why youths are clamoring for a complete dissolving of the Unit. Also, I will be looking at reasons why the government is reluctant to making decisions. I haven’t been out to join any protest but I have family members and friends who have been out since on Wednesday in different states in the country over the #endsars protest.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)
The Special Anti-robbery Squad was created in 1992 with the aim of dealing with crime (especially robbery) in the country due to the increase in robbery. As usual the team were doing fine until a few things changed like a criteria to get recruited into the squad which is Being an ex-convict. This is one of the most absurd criteria I have seen to be recruited into a squad.
In the last decade, the rate of Nigerians being involved in internet fraud (a.k.a Yahoo Yahoo) has increased and a lot of people blame unemployment (I do not support defrauding people of their hard earn money because I can tell that it is very traumatic). The unit was giving the mandate to curb internet scamming and fraud with the intention of arresting the culprit but things changed. In the last 5 years, the unit has gone rouge, harassing people, invading people’s privacy, Extortion, Robbery, Blackmailing, Torture, framing, and unjust Killings.
Are Officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Doing their Jobs?
To be sincere, in the past they were doing their jobs but recently, what I can say is NO. In fact, the police department is already corrupt with greed taking over a large percentage of the force. Recently, the officers of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad now enjoy misusing their power and oppressing every young person between the age of 20 - 40 years. The squad isn’t going after youths so as to apprehend people who commit crimes but rather to oppress, harass and extort every young person in the country. If this was the only thing done, Nigerians could still ask for a reform of the unit but the officers of the unit now enjoy killing innocent youths who demand that their right isn’t infringed on, or who challenge their deeds. In the space of 2020, The Special Anti-Robbery Squad has killed more people than the Covid-19 in Nigeria. Personally, I have had experiences with them and I must say that those experiences were not fun at all.
videos includes disturbing content
My Personal Experiences with SARS
In 1 year, I have been harassed by officers of the special anti-robbery squad four times. Even as a young entrepreneur who pay my tax regularly and is law abiding, I have been a victim of this bedeviled unit 4 times within the frame of one year. I have been harassed, extorted for nothing, threatened to be shot and even advised to do internet fraud by a unit of the police which is supposed to fight crime. This is unheard off, that a unit meant to fight crime is asking citizens to commit crime so they can get a cut of the spoils gotten from the crime scene not because they want to apprehend the offender. An event I will not forget was on June 13th, 2020 when I was delayed by officers of the SARS unit for over 9 hours because I stood my grounds not to allow them extort me. That day, I was abducted by the officers, beaten, and maltreated, and I was left after they realize I didn’t have any money to give to them.
My Thought on the #endsars protest
Although I am not out with placards, but I totally support that this unit be completely scrapped. In Nigeria, there is a high chance that a 60 year old man would celebrate his 80 year old birthday while the chances that a 23 year old youth will celebrate his 24th birthday is very slim because there is a high chance that the youth will be abducted by officers of the squad and shot over trying to explain his/her self. In Nigeria, People are scared of the police than thieves. I have barely heard of a robbery in the last 2 years but I have continually seen police brutality, murder and oppression. People can’t go out safely again, because there is a possibility of not returning home safely if you meet with an officer of the Nigerian Police Force.
Conclusion
It is no doubt that the government has turned deaf ears to this plea as the police leadership want the world to see that everything is fine, also the presidency isn’t doing anything because the government doesn’t want to look weak but if things are not resolved soon, the country will go into chaos. For me, I will advise that the Unit is scrapped and the entire police force is reformed.
