Against all odds, the Nigerian youth have indeed shown clearly that they are not happy with what is obtainable within the confines of our society today. There is a rising need to have a security outfit that is absolutely friendly to her citizens and dreaded by criminal syndicates. A government that claims to be democratic must at all times protects the lives and properties of her citizens.
However, the many harrowing experiences handed down to Nigerians by the members of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) leaves one wondering if we are not living in a jungle.
On several occasion, members of SARS have continue to punish Nigerians without justifiable reasons. In fact, under the unwritten code of conduct, any young individual who possesses an iPhone or a laptop and has a multiple bank accounts or Crypto accounts is duly considered a criminal until he or she chooses to part with huge sum of money. These codes also ascribe criminality to any individual with a dyed hair, dreads and exotic car.
This dysfunction carried out by men of the SARS team has led to the loss of lives and properties. According to a report dated 15th of September 2020 by Sahara reports, a group of young boys were involved in an accident that claimed all lives while being chased by a team of SARS men in Osun state. If it were a case of one bad apple, then there is absolutely no need to end the SARS. However, it believed – with proven audio and visual evidences that the whole outfit is shouldered on lawlessness and gross abuse of human right.
Last month, I was on a road transit from Ibadan to Ore. There were too many road blocks mounted mostly by the Nigerian police who were for the most time occupied with receiving fifty naira bribe. They were also in search of any young passenger in possession of valuable items such as smart phones and all manner of… Indeed this is far from what is obtainable in saner societies.
This many devious acts as perpetuated by SARS a sub unit of the Nigerian police force eventually led to a mass resistance and has subsequently shown to the whole world the degree of brutality meted out on Nigerians. Armed with no defense whatsoever, the Inspector general of the Nigerian police force announced to the joy of many that the SARS unit of the Nigerian police force has been dissolved and members of the unit will be disbanded or better still incorporated into other units.
While many may consider this a victory at last, I am reminded that the president of the federation is yet to give his consent on the matter. Moreover, disbanding the members of SARS unit into other units of the Nigerian Police Force will only aggravate the current status quo. It is like a farmer who allowed weeds to grow favorably in his rice farm. He will surely have him or herself to blame.
While this remains positive news for a good number of reasons, caution must not be thrown to the wind so that the gains of a genuine struggle would not be thrown to the dogs.
– Olayinka Kayode Kingsley
Email: olayinkakayodekingsley@gmail.com
