Opinion
Dissolution Of SARS: Why Nigerians Supported #EndSARS
For several days in the month of October 2020, Nigerians all over the world protested against the brutality of the ⭐Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)⭐, a tactical squad of the Nigeria Police Force meant to deals with crimes associated with armed robbery, car snatching, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and crimes associated with firearms. It was reported by BBC, that the #EndSARS was trending worldwide on Twitter on Friday October 9, 2020. Officers of the Nigeria Police Force in the Special Anti Robbery Squad are feared by Nigerians, the citizens they were meant to protect due to the constant harassment and detention of innocent Nigerians who go about their daily activities especially those they considered to be “flashy”.
Read Also: Arsenal’s Mesut Ozil Joins #Endsars Campaign
Nigerians do tell tales of SARS members who engage in human right abuse, illegal stop and search, illegal arrest and detention, sexual harassment of women and brutalization. There have been several reports of innocent Nigerians killed by SARS officers who are also men of the Nigeria Police Force. Nigerians do tell tales of the use torture and other ill-treatment means used by the dissolved SARS officers to execute, punish and extract information from suspects. #EndSARS is believed to be attributed to Segun Awosanya who started the campaign in 2017.
What SARS Did Wrong?
Amnesty International, a global movement of more than 7 million people who take injustice personally has documented several cases of maltreatment of Nigerians by officers of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). The organization said the Nigerian government have never prosecuted any of the erring SARS officers. The Nigerian government, according to Amnesty International have failed to prosecute a single erring officer of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), despite an anti-torture legislation passed in Nigeria in 2017. At some instances where these SARS officers are accused of committing a crime, it is believed that the police authorities did not carry out any investigation despite promises to do so.
Victims of the illegal activities of the dissolved Special Anti Robbery Squad are predominantly young male Nigerians who are between the ages of 18 and 35 and are from low-income backgrounds. Between January 2017 and May 2020, Amnesty International documents at least 82 cases of torture, ill-treatment and extra-judicial execution by officers of SARS tactical unit. Amnesty International, said the illegal activities of these Police officers were carried out under the supervision of high-ranking police officers in Nigeria. They also claimed that there was a systematic use of torture by the police officers.
What Nigerians Know About SARS: Stories Of SARS Brutality
Nigerians know that SARS officers are known to not respect the rule of law. They do carry out unlawful arrests, torture, rape and even murder Nigerians in secret. Nigerians also know that there have been reports of reforms by the police authorities in previous years with no changes seen among the officials of the police tactical squad.
Read Also: Buhari breaks silence on #EndSARS protests
Some stories of such brutality by SARS officers as reported by Amnesty International include
- Hamilton Osahenhen Obazee was arrested and allegedly tortured to death by SARS officers on 6 March 2020 in Edo state.
- Ugochukwu was arrested and tortured for 6 days without a warrant at his shop by SARS officials in April 2018 where he was accused of paying a gang that was blackmailing him. He was requested to pay 20 million naira for his release. The SARS officers blindfolded him, fired gunshots around him and even staged a mock execution to get him to pay. Ugochukwu paid 6 million naira before he was released by these SARS officers.
- Miracle was arrested and detained by SARS officers in Anambra State in March 2017 for 40 days. He was hardly given food during this period and was beaten with machetes and sticks that inflicted different injuries on his body. A SARS officer used an exhaust pipe to hit him on his teeth which led to the breaking of his teeth breaking.
- Sunday Bang, an amateur boxer was arrested in his home in Abuja in October 2018, 24-year-old by SARS officers and was accused of robbery. He was detained without access to his family, lawyers or medical care for 5 weeks without access to family, lawyers or medical care where he suffered bone fractures and other injuries due to torture and other ill-treatment. Sunday was eventually not charged to court.
Latest About SARS
The #EndSARS started trending after a video of a Nigerian being shot dead by members of SARS officers circulated through social media. This made Nigerians call for the dissolution of SARS, being the latest demonstrations calling for the dissolution of SARS. After much pressure, the Nigerian Police banned the unit which happened to be the latest ban of the unit. With much pressure from Nigerians and other foreign celebrity calling for the dissolution of SARS, the Nigerian Inspector General of Police dissolved and disbanded the police unit and redeployed officers of F-SARS to other police commands, formations and units.
Mr Adamu, the Nigeria Inspector General of Police in a statement signed by the Nigerian Police Force PRO DCP Frank Mba said a citizens and strategic stakeholders forum will be launched to provide an avenue for Nigerians to advise the police on issues affecting Nigerians. Also, a new policing arrangement that will do what SARS was supposed to do will be unveiled soon and an investigative team which include Civil Society Organizations will deal with reports of crimes committed against Nigerian citizens.
What do you know about SARS? Tell Ekomiami your SARS experience in the comment section.
Oluwarinu Oduala has expressed disappointment that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, froze her account just because she lent her voice during the EndSARS protest.
On November 5, the apex bank secured a court order to freeze the account of 19 promoters of the #EndSARS protests.
In a Twitter thread shared on her handle on Monday night, Rinu who is a member of the Lagos State Panel of Judicial Inquiry probing cases of police brutality and the alleged shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki toll gate, said the recent action of the Central Bank of Nigeria is a betrayal of the supposed peace-making efforts of the government.
Read her Twitter thread below.
”I am part of a generation of Nigerians, who have lived most of their adult lives under ‘democratic’ rule yet I wake up this morning feeling there is no difference between the Nigeria I grew up in and the Nigeria my parents grew up in. The sacrifices of the democrats, who bravely stood on the June 12 mandate to bring our democracy to life seem to be in vain. Ironically many are serving in this government and ruling party.
Everywhere I turn, I am told that I should be ‘grateful’ for a democracy that lives were lost, I should be thankful that I have a voice and I can speak up for myself and my peers. But how can I be grateful when young men and women disappear every day, some killed recklessly without cause, while others get scarred for life—physically, emotionally, or both.
When we began to protest it was because young Nigerians decided to speak up.
We spoke up – not because we wanted to overthrow the government but because we wanted the police to stop killing us. We did not carry arms, or incite any insurrection. Our only weapon was peaceful protest enshrined in Section 40 of our 1999 Constitution. At every point we maintained calm and educated our followers – reiterating throughout the protests that we were not there to fight the government but to ask for change and to follow through to make sure that change was effected.
We believed that somehow we would be spared from the systemic violence and breakdown of social order that was the direct result of the government’s actions. Unfortunately we were mistaken.
I was volunteered to receive donations to our cause by Nigerians at home and abroad who felt helpless to personally protest but believed they could make a difference through financial sacrifices. Such was the passion of average Nigerians to contribute how best they can to the #EndSARS cause, they found my personal account number and sent in what they could sacrifice towards the cause. Some people even sent as little ?500; all they could spare towards the cause. To have their sacrifices rubbished by the government and their motivations questioned is disheartening because the raised funds including over N200,000 naira gathered from my business were meant to be disbursed to attend to the medical bills of injured protesters.
We called for among other things, a probe into the killings and torture of people and the government agreed by setting up judicial panels. In order to assure young people of the independence and fairness of the panel I took up the role as a youth representative at the detriment of my education, personal life and family. I did this to make peace. I did to ensure our young people understood that the only way to create a better and safer Nigeria is to do things lawfully. Why am I still being targeted for lending the government my goodwill?
I am not part of Nigeria’s political or business elite—I have no relatives in government or family members with enough wealth to sway powerful individuals. I am just an ordinary young Nigerian. I study, selling hoodies and other clothing for ?5,000 to pay my school fees. I also do the odd bit of freelancing, taking on some brand influencing work to ensure my family doesn’t suffer. Somehow, however, my existence threatens my government, the fact that I have a voice is enough for them to try to silence me.
In the Nigeria I am fighting for, it wouldn’t matter that I am a child of nobody coming from the average Nigerian home. The Nigeria I am fighting for is one that prioritizes every voice, protects every inalienable right, even mine.
I decided to use the only currency I have, my voice to speak up against extrajudicial killings, torture, extortion and unjust harassment that is still happening in a democratic nation in the 21st century! The government also agreed that reform is inevitable and promised us they were going to listen so why punish the same people that are speaking up?
I am not afraid—I am only disappointed that this country will treat me this way.
Nigeria is all I have, and I have a right to demand that it works for all of us, not just those with influence, wealth, or a government position.
In a country that people have been voiceless for a long time, people holding the government accountable is being seen as too much? How can we ensure that this sort of thing will encourage people to build a new Nigeria? A Nigeria that will be filled with accountable government officials, where all forms of oppressions and injustice is a thing of the past. How do you expect me as a part of the future of this country to still believe in a country who thinks they have the right through CBN to freeze my account for no just cause?
This is not fair. But we will make it fair. Otherwise, there is no future for my generation and the generations to come.
Lest you forget, #EndSARS !”
As prescribed in the U.S. Constitution, American presidents are elected not directly by the people, but by the people’s electors. The Electoral College was created by the framers of the U.S. Constitution as an alternative to electing the president by popular vote or by Congress. If it were by popular vote or who gets the most votes, Hillary Clinton would have won in 2016 and Joe Biden would have been declared the winner by now. Biden has also received the most votes of any president in American history. Whoever reaches the 270 electoral votes will be officially declared the winner. In this system, Trump still has a chance of winning.
The United States Electoral College is a name used to describe the official 538 Presidential electors who come together every four years during the presidential election to give their official votes for President and Vice President of the United States.The Constitution leaves states to decide how electors will vote. It began In 1804, 12th Amendment to the Constitution made sure that electors designate their votes for president and vice president, but the 12th Amendment leaves in place a tie breaking system established by the Constitution by which the House of Representatives breaks a tie on presidential electoral votes and the Senate.
The election of the president of the United States is a two-step process. First, voters cast ballots on Election Day in each state. In nearly every state, the candidate who gets the most votes wins the “electoral votes” for that state, and gets that number of voters (or “electors”
in the “Electoral College.” In the Electoral College system, each state gets a certain number of electors based on its total number of representatives in Congress. Each elector casts one electoral vote following the general election; there are a total of 538 electoral votes. The candidate that gets more than half (270) wins the election.
What happens if no candidate gets enough electoral votes?Pursuant to the 12th Amendment, the House of Representatives is required to go into session immediately after the counting of the electoral votes to vote for president if no candidate for the office receives a majority of the electoral votes. … The House continues balloting until it elects a president.
Who sits on the Electoral College? The president and vice president of the United States are elected by the Electoral College, which consists of 538 electors from the fifty states and Washington, D.C. Electors are selected state-by-state, as determined by the laws of each state.
Addendum: Electoral College is a system born of compromise deeply rooted in America’s slavery foundation. I will explain this in my subsequent post.
Thank you.
Source: Maria Ude Nwachi
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2862531247403118&id=100009388131283
Our country is on fire and the causes of the flames are a combination of the activities of the government in their attempts to sabotage a righteous movement and the unhinged reaction of inflamed youths who are currently on a rampage. These understandably angry and incensed people assume that the destruction of private property is “fighting the system”.
Read Also: [Video] I called Buhari twice, he wasn’t available, says Sanwo-Olu
I am truly bothered by the huge amount of destruction of public and especially private property taking place everywhere.
While stationed at the gate to my estate yesterday as we were trying to prevent hoodlums from gaining access, a woman attempted to leave the estate in the heat of the riots. She had been told her shop had been destroyed and all her goods stolen.
We had to work hard to prevent her from proceeding to her shop I saw the grief on her face. I knew this woman has no other source of livelihood. She and her dependents would now be in financial ruin. I hope she doesn’t act in desperation. Less has led to suicide in the past.
This lady isn’t a part of the government, nor is she guilty of any of the injustices that we are calling on the government to correct. She is just someone who is trying to make a living. She is a wife, a mother, a grandmother, and a sister. She has groaned with all of us under the yoke of bad government. Now she has been further punished for crimes she did not commit Her life will never be the same – ever again To be clear, the reaction of the government to the protests is disgusting, shocking, and unconscionable. I will not lessen the gravity of this by adding “but”. I will respectfully wait till the next paragraph to continue.
The fight must continue but it must also be fought through righteous means Civil disobedience and peaceful protests are more effective than riots If things continue in their current trajectory, we will lose our moral standing and the government will win the moral battle. Our grievance is not with banks, shopping malls, or any other businesses.
Our grievance is with the government.
Read Also: [Video] Tompolo makes first public appearance after six years
Remember that this is the same year that the covid -19 has devasted the economy and caused large unemployment Think about the effect of continuing on this path of destruction. Think of your jobs and the jobs of your family members. THERE IS TOMORROW MY PEOPLE. We must think of TOMORROW.
Do we not all share in the yoke of police brutality Do we not all share in the perils of bad leadership?
Our solution cannot be worse than the problem. We MUST Not contribute to the problems. Remember, one of our major grievances is corruption. What is happening now is also corruption. IT is the corruption of what was until 20/10/20 a righteous struggle that was garnering international support.
The response to police brutality and corruption in our government CANNOT BE riots, looting, pillaging and killing of police officers.
The hand that gave soft drinks to the police officers did more for this struggle than the hand that struck them.
We grieve for all who have lost their lives in this struggle. Protesters and Police officers alike.
#STOP THE VIOLENCE. CONTINUE THE PRORESTS
I am calling on all patriotic Nigerians to calm nerves and to engage with the youth through any medium available to them.
This struggle must not be prematurely aborted.
The youth must be guided even as they lead.
Business4 years agoThe Biggest Container Ship Ever To Come To Nigeria Berths In Onne Port, Rivers State (Photos)
Q & A4 years agoThe 8 Hierarchy of Courts in Nigeria Explained: Functions & Jurisdiction
Business5 years agoCBN returns over ₦60 billion excess bank charges to customers
Politics4 years agoGbajabiamila Gives Akpabio 48 Hours To Publish Names Of Lawmakers Awarded Contracts By NDDC
Politics4 years agoFull List of Nigeria’s Senate Presidents Till Date
Business4 years agoAll you need to know about bitcoin
Politics4 years agoList of all State Governors in Nigeria
Politics5 months agoBreaking: UAE lifts visa ban on Nigerians