Like a gathering storm, on the 9th of October 2020, the #EndSARS hashtag began trending on Twitter and all social media platforms, calling for the ban of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force and a notoriously controversial division known for alleged oppression, brutality and extra judicial killings.
Two days later, the #EndSARS hashtag had up to 35 million tweets and engendered protests both within and outside the country.
Across some of the state headquarters, including FCT, youths were seen carrying placards, and many other inscription calling on the federal government to put an end to police brutality.
The peaceful protests they embarked on few weeks ago were said to had been hijacked by hoodlums, killing protesters, destroying the properties and the likes.
In 2018, against the indiscriminate arrests, detention, extortion and extrajudicial killings as well as other horrendous human rights abuse of the Nigerian people perpetrated by the operatives of the SARS, the Federal Government responded by setting up a Presidential Panel of Enquiry to investigate all complaints of human rights abuse by the operative of unit.
It is noted that many Nigerians submitted reports and memoranda and gave clear evidence of police abuses. However, the Federal Government has not implemented the recommendations of the panel after two years of the submission of this report.
Some of the recommendations of the panel are; dismissal of 37 police officers from the force and the prosecution of 24 others; Investigation of 22 officers involved in the violation of human rights of innocent citizens; Payment of compensation of various sums to 45 complainants and tender of public apologies to five complainants and compliance with court orders in five matters; Renaming of SARS to Anti-Robbery Section (ARS), which was its original name, and to make the section operate under the intelligence arm of the police.
On June 3, 2019, the President directed the Inspector-General of Police and the Solicitor-General of the Federation/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice to liaise with the National Human Rights Commission to work out the modalities for the implementation of the report within three months.
The President announced that he had approved the reconstitution of the Governing Council of the National Human Rights Commission and that the names of the council members would be submitted to the Senate for confirmation in line with the provisions of the National Human Rights Commission Act.
In 2020, President Muhammadu Buhari also told Nigerian and #EndSARS protesters that they have meet up your demand by scraping of SARS and come up with another unit called SWAT, and also set up a panel of inquiry by all state governments. Decision which infuriated many youths because of the existing distrust on the government.
How many times, Nigeria under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari, would Federal Government set up a committee to address the brutality in the country?
A government built on the foundation of deception can hardly gain masses trust. Therefore, it is crystal clear that this current administration is hell bent on using the same old tactics of lies and fairy tale to abort the youth protests.
The nation cannot continue to live like this, there is need for a holistic action to change the narrative. This action will transcend talking via micro blogging to implementation of policies to ensure the desired reforms.
The president is presumably the Alpha and Omega of this country, reforming Police system and virtually all our security architecture should not be a daunting task. Nigerians can no longer bear the humiliation, embarrassment, brutality and killings from those that sworn to protect their lives and properties. Hence, the wake up call by all youths.
It is high time actions is followed side by side promises. The agitation of Nigerians youths is not mountainous, neither is it tedious to be deciphered nor calculated to cast dust on your government.
#EndSARS and reform the entire police formation. The stitch in time save nine!
– Abubakar Yunusa writes from Abuja.
