With the twists and turns in poli- tics, violence and deaths trailing its wake, the #EndSARS campaign is steadily taking its toll on national life.
Reform stalks the police. Governors are up in arms on the issue of scrapping or not to scrap the controversial security outfit. The Southern governors versus Northern governors. The End- Sars campaigners versus LetSARS- stay group, these are indeed interesting times for Nigeria and the people of Nigeria.
Far in the horizon of weighty voices like those former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof Wole Soyinka, Col. Dangiwa Umar, top lawyers, Afe Babalola, SAN, among others, a ‘revolution’ could either be in the offing or the protest becoming ‘a metaphor for restructuring’.
And with different shades of ‘panelling’ rocking the controversy, the Federal Government is having a hard time deciding on what next step to take, even though it had earlier announced the disbandment of the much-dreaded anti-robbery squad.
Even with a recent apology on behalf of the Federal Government by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, tempers are yet to calm down. Crowds mill daily at the nation’s top cities to protest alleged high-handedness by members of the squad, even after disbandment announced by the federal authorities on Sunday, October 11.
The protests started on Thursday, October 8, when Nigerians woke up to the nerve-jading news of orchestrated street protests triggered by videos and pictures of alleged acts of brutality by operatives of SARS (which has now been replaced by a new outfit, SWAT), on social media.
Violence resonated in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and some state capitals. Many persons have been killed. In Oyo State, one Jimoh Isiaq was killed in Ogbomoso. Two were felled in Benin, allegedly by hoodlums who swooped on the protesters. One man was killed in Akure by a driver who rammed into the protesters. A similar incident at Ikola in Alimoso local government area of Lagos State claimed two lives.
The protests started on a simple note tear- gassing as the police response until killings started when suspected thugs, criminals and ‘fifth columnists’ joined the ranks of the protesters. The table turned with the killing of a police officer in Lagos.
Some of the states at the theatre of the now violent protests include the nation’s capital, Abuja, Lagos, Osun, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Ogun, Rivers, Edo, Kano among others. Apart from those injured and deaths recorded, some of the street activists were arrested but later freed on the orders of the Federal Government.
The protests appear well co-ordinated by youths, with international support. The pattern of protests is virtually the same, with little variance in the modality of execution nationwide. The youths demonstrated their anger with barricading streets and highways, including the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and Abuja airport road. They marched through the streets, carrying placards and chanting anti-SARS campaigns.
In some instances, policemen were disarmed and thugs had a free reign. But despite the ‘revolutionary’ nature of the protests, there were instances of confusion as to the real motive of the campaigns. For example, in Ikoro- du, Lagos State, ThisNigeria correspondent sighted youths carrying placards which read “endBuhari,” “Gari don cost,” apart from engaging in anti-social activities like extortion on the highways.
In Ughelli, Delta State, a policeman, Corporal Etaga Stanley of the ‘A’ Division was disarmed and his ammunition taken away. In Anambra, where the notorious SARS at Awkuzu, allegedly well-known for human rights abuses, held sway, hundreds of young people gathered at Ekwueme Square, Awka. They marched through the streets of the state capital.
This was the trend in most cities and states last week. Musicians and artistes joined the processions. Candle-lit processions were held in some instances for victims of the protests. The Lagos State government, accused of having a ‘soft-spot’ for the ensuing violence, has withdrawn state-owned buses from the streets. Gov. Babajide Sanwo-Olu has however assured protesters that government is with them in their agitation, but cautioned nonviolence.
In Rivers State, Governor Nyesom Wike, initially banned street protests because he didn’t want the protests hijacked by political foes and other fifth columnists. He later addressed the youthful protesters, reminding how he had drawn attention to the nefarious activities of SARS, but “people preferred to play politics with the situation. I kept shouting when they were killing my people.” He threw his weight not just for the scrapping of the body, but the total overhaul of the Police
Oyo State governor, Seyi Makinde, also ‘banned’ the police from engaging protesters “to avoid fatalities.” He fully endorsed the youth protests in the state.
In the northern part of the country, Governor Simon Lalong, said his colleagues in the Northern Governors Forum, NGF, were solidly against the disbandment of the elite force because it was useful in checking the excesses of criminal elements in the region.
Similarly, the Northern Elders Forum is against the sack of SARS.
Nigeria is on the boil and sharply divided over the SARS saga. No issue in recent time has polarised the nation as this. The #EndSARS campaign has been etched on a litany of allegations predicated on alleged and proven acts of unlawful detention, extrajudicial killing, extortion, torture, kidnapping, theft, rape, high-handedness, the humiliation of victims, and so on.
SARS operatives are also accused of ‘always profiling’ youths based on appearance; mounting illegal roadblocks, conducting illegal stop-and-search and effecting arrests without a warrant. The squad is said to be embroiled in extorting money from young Nigerians for driving exotic vehicles and other trivial things like using i-phones and detaining young Nigerians illegally and extorting money from their relatives’.
A survey by an online platform, Nairametrics, lists the reasons for the continual problems trailing the apathy on SARS dissolution to police brutality, ‘even after dissolution’ (need for) general reforms and ‘mistrust of Federal Government’s reform plans, post-SARS’.
A cross-section of Nigerians has continued to resonate the call for radical police reform post-sack of SARS to solve the issue of persistent cases of brutality. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), in its reaction to the disbandment of SARS, has declared its support for citizens’ rights during protests and called for reforms in the police force. A civil society group, Demand for Good Governance, has also called for the pursuance of welfarist packages to reform the psyche of police officers as a long-term measure to check human rights abuses in the country. The group’s co-ordinator, Abimbola David-Orugun, does not think hard-line measures such as outright ban is appropriate for crime-busting outfits like SARS.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, was in Abuja to present the demands of the protesters to President Muhammadu Buhari. The five-point demand, reportedly signed by a ‘concerned youth’ asked for the immediate re- lease of all those arrested during the protests. It also called for ‘justice’ and ‘compensation’ for all who died “during police brutality in Nigeria”. The other requests border on the setting up of an independent body within 10 days to “investigate and prosecute all reports of police brutality”. The paper finally called for the ‘psychological evaluation and retraining’ of police officers.
The ongoing #EndSARS protests which followed years of enduring extrajudicial killings, extortion, torture, framing, and blackmail, have put government on its toes. And despite the disbandment of the unit on October 11, 2020, by the Inspector -General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu following President Muhammadu Buhari’s order, the youths have remained adamant. They were peeved that the IGP merely created a Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team to replace the defunct SARS.
When he came up with SWAT, the police boss said that SARS personnel, who must report to Police Headquarters, Abuja for debriefing and examination, would not be absorbed into the new unit. Within hours of the announcement, some Nigerians took to Twitter with the hashtag
#EndSWAT and demonstrations continued amid fears that the much-touted police reform will not materialise.
A state by state report from our correspondents revealed that youths’ protest nationwide informed the government’s decision to do away with the dreaded SARS. This, to many, is a sure victory by the youths for Nigerians who have groaned in silence over police brutality since colonial time till date. These youths are now being hailed as messiahs.
The protest came to its climax Thursday, October 15 in Awka, the Anambra state capital following the insistence of the protesting youths that their counterparts who were arrested and detained by the police on account of the protest be released with immediate effect. The youths who successfully conducted their peaceful protests for some days in the city of Awka, carrying placards and barricading the Enugu-Onitsha federal highway to vent their spleen on police brutality.
At the Government House Awka, the youths tasked Governor Willie Obiano to immediately embark on a tour of SARS facilities and other police departments across the state to effect the release of youngsters who were part of the protest to end police brutality in the country. Governor Obiano, while addressing the frenzied youths, assured that all their demands would be met especially those within his powers as the state governor.
Obiano, who said that he supported the protests against police brutality, told the youths that he had relieved a former SARS commander in the state, James Nwafor, of his duty as the Senior Special Assistant on Security and would-be prosecuted forthwith. The governor who assured the youths that he would take their grievances to President Muhammadu Buhari, said he was happy with the way they conducted themselves.
He said: “I have a list of all your demands. Some of them have already been met, like the SARS being disbanded. Some are still in the pipeline which I am going to present to the president. The other ones are the ones I can handle myself. “Your first request is immediate prosecution and removal of James Nwafor, immediate release of all protesters in police custody. Consider those ones done.
“As for compensation of the family of SARS victims, the Attorney General and the leadership of the Police will look into this and make recommendations to me. “I support your protest; police brutality and extortion are not allowed anywhere. Any policeman that does that, quietly copy his name and let us know.”
Thousands of angry protesters in Delta State last Fri- day renewed hostility against the new SWAT unit. The protesters who had been on the streets of Asaba metropolis, for several days, threatened ‘no retreat, no surrender’ until the government accede to their demand for total scrap of the department.
They carried placards of various headlines, including “SARS and SWAT are the same”, “IGP stop playing politics with human life”, “FG end SARS, stop SWAT now”, “SARS and SWAT are evil”, “Police is no longer our friend,” etc.
For several hours, the protest led to a gridlock around the Ekumeku Flyover, popularly known as Inter-Bau Roundabout as youths, comprising males, females and students of tertiary institutions chanted war songs. They lamented the harassment and extortions they had suffered in the hands of men of the special squad.
One of the leaders of the protesters, Amaechi Chukwujindu, said it was a deliberate plot by the top echelon in the presidency and the police hierarchy to return the squad under a different name. He wondered why human life is not sacrosanct to the incumbent government in Nigeria. “It is dubious to bring back SARS under the disguise of SWAT. The same bad character in SARS will comprise the new SWAT. Are we not back to their jungle justice,” he asked rhetorically.
Supporting him, a teenager, who simply identified herself as Lady Tina, recalled how men of the special squad defrauded her of N90,000 when they stopped her while driving in her suitor’s car. “They stopped me during their unscheduled stop-and-search along Mariam Babangida Way in Asaba. They threatened me, collected my i-phone, searched it and implicated me. Before I could get out of their hands, I had to transfer N90,000 to them,” she told this paper.
The protesters vowed to unleash mayhem on residents of the state until the police department is completely scrapped.
Lagos
Lagos just like Abuja has remained the hotbed for the protests as the city remained in a state of turmoil as at Friday night. The popular Lekki-Epe toll plaza was shut down, thus grinding commercial activities in Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Lagos Island. For the protesters in Lagos, it was not only an avenue to express their frustrations against Police brutality, especially those who had fallen victims to the banned SARS but also call for police reform and restructuring of the federation. For others, it was an opportunity to express grievances over government insensitivity to their plights of poverty, increasing costs of goods and services and government’s insensitive fuel price and electricity tariff hikes.
But things went awry for the angry youths as armed thugs attacked them in Ikeja. The scene was close to many government institutions – the Lagos Government Secretariat, Lagos State House of Assembly, the Governor’s Office and a Police Station. Although eyewitnesses said the attackers came in Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) buses belonging to the Lagos State Government, authorities of Lagos Bus Services Limited said the thugs were transported to the scene of the attack in yellow buses. The thugs were seen with sticks, cutlasses, and daggers attacking the peaceful protesters while policemen stood by.
“Alausa is where the Government House is. Supposedly one of the safest places in Lagos State. If this is allowed to happen, someone should have lost his job by now. This is happening very close to the Governor’s Office; are you telling me the governor is no longer safe,” Kiki Mordi, a journalist tweeted. The protester, however, apprehend- ed some of the thugs and handed them over to police personnel.
Benin
Vehicular traffic was grounded for several hours as commuters became stranded on the ever-busy Benin – Lagos road as youths in their thousands took over the road in their continued protest against activities of Nigerian policemen and humongous salaries for political office holders on Thursday, October 15.
The procession was like a carnival as it took over the entire highway and the flyover opposite the University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus, as music blared at deafening volumes from the sound machines of the many DJs who thronged the scene playing popular revolutionary songs of the late Fela Anikulapo Kuti, his son, Femi, Idris Abdlukareem and several other popular artistes.
Among the protesters were student union leaders of the University of Benin who were seen coordinating the demonstration. Some stranded commuters also became part of the protesters pledging their support for Police reforms. How- ever, policemen who came to the scene stayed far away from the protesters who conducted themselves peacefully for the almost six hours it lasted from the early hours.
The President, Students Union Government of the University, Benjamin Egwu said: “We are adding our voice to what has been happening across the country and we are demanding an end of SARS. We are ending SARS and they are giving us SWAT. What we are saying is that we want police reforms. The government can do better; it should bring in more intellectuals into the police. More graduates and other intellectuals should come into the police; more persons will become interested. What we are saying is end SARS, end SWAT and give us a reformed police.”
Eghosa Jude, a stranded traveller, said he couldn’t help but join in the protest and that he was consoled by the fact that it is for the right
cause. “I may be stranded right now but I am not frustrated because this is an overdue cry to reform the police force and not just SARS. Let police be well paid and see whether POS won’t stop on highways,” he said.
A cab driver, Edoko Jakes, said he has shut down his driving app for days as the protest continues. “I am a graduate but became a cab driver for the money. I have a wife and three children. I have bills to pay. I love this protest. Who knows it may just be what Nigerian leaders, for want of a better word, need to wake up and take some decisions in the popular interest,” he said.
FCT
The protesters defied the ban order by the Federal Capital Territory Administration, FCTA, which proscribed street protests because of what it violated the COVID-19 safety protocols it put in place to safeguard the lives of citizens. Last Friday, angry youths blocked the Airport Road at the City Gate and made life uncomfortable for commuters.
The FCT Security Committee at its routine meeting on Tuesday, October 13, 2020, had reviewed the security situation in the Federal Capital Territory with a view to addressing identified challenges. The Committee noted with satisfaction the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Inspector-General of Police to disband SARS as well as other reforms aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of the Nigerian Police but observed that the non-observance of social distancing endangers the lives of not just the demonstrators, but also other citizens going about their legitimate concerns.
This, however, did not deter the protesters from going ahead with protests in major parts of the capital city. On Wednesday evening, they blocked the entrance to the National Assembly.
Port-Harcourt
The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, on Tuesday, addressed protesters in front of the Government House, Port Harcourt, despite his ban on #EndSARS protest in the state. The previous day, the government had said it was needless for the people to go ahead with the #EndSARS protest since SARS has already been scrapped by the police.
Governor Wike who called for a “total” reform of the Nigeria police, said, “If we do not reform the police, the same SARS officers will be deployed to other units of the force to continue their evil acts.”
“It is not only to end SARS. Already, there is a pronouncement to scrap it. But every Nigerian should support the total reform of the Police.
“SARS cannot and has never been our friend in Rivers State. They killed a lecturer at Ken Saro-Wiwa Polytechnic without a cause and people kept quiet.”
Lokoja
Thousands of youths staged a peaceful anti-
SARS protest in Lokoja Wednesday afternoon alleging that the government was not sincere with the scrapping of the outfit as some of the operatives on Tuesday evening still brutalized some students and extorted money from them.
The protesters who marched to government house, Lokoja in a motorcade singing anti-government songs and dancing insisted they must see Governor Yahaya Bello before they leave.
In spite of the pleadings from the chief of staff to the governor, Abdulkarim Asuku and some top government functionaries, the protesters insisted they must see the governor. The spokespersons of the group, Ben Ajewole, David Olubiojo and Anate Adams who spoke separately said President Buhari has failed the nation as he pretended not to know the series of atrocities SARS committed against lawful Nigerians.
Last Thursday, Governor Bello at a special press briefing appealed to the youths to end the nationwide protests which he said have been hijacked by hoodlums. He promised to intervene on behalf of Nigerians youths to ensure that a comprehensive Police reform was carried out by the federal government.
Ibadan
THE #EndSARS protesters in Oyo State continued their agitation for a more comprehensive police reform across the country. The youths in their hundreds chanted anti-government slogans angrily marching through major roads within Ibadan metropolis.
Major roads which were occupied by the youths include Ibadan-Ilorin and Sango-Mokola-Dugbe. Unlike in the previous week which was a bit violent, the protesters were peaceful with scores of security agents keeping vigil on them. At Sango Market, the irate youths caused a serious traffic jam which forced motorists to remain on the same spots for hours. The traders, for fear of having their shops, stalls looted, hurriedly locked up and moved away.
Enugu
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State, on Fri- day, addressed youths of the state who visited him at the Government House, Enugu, to press further their demand for the #EndPoliceBrutality in Nige- ria, lending his support to the state government’s position as earlier presented by his deputy, Hon. Mrs Cecilia Ezeilo, on Tuesday, as well as the decisions of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum.
He described the protest as a solemn moment for the country and called for prayers and a minute silence for the victims of extrajudicial killings in the nation.
The governor, who was accompanied by his deputy, Hon. Mrs Ezeilo commended the protesting youth for their peaceful conduct and urged them to remain law-abiding.
He, therefore, promised them that his administration will intervene and look into their demands, accordingly.
Not a few Nigerians have responded to the protests. Femi Gbajabiamila, Speaker, House of Representatives, said that the protests have “exposed the stinking underbelly of our nation’s policing system.” And after publicly identifying with the #EndSARS protesters, governors on Wednesday, October 16 intervened in the unabatingly disturbing protests despite the government’s concession.
They met in Abuja with Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and resolved to meet with identified leaders of the protesters to end the street rallies.
Presidency
There were indications that the Presidency has restrained the police, security agencies and the military from moving with force against the protesters. According to a top source, security agencies and the police were worried about the motives behind the continuing protests. “It is curious that after President Muhammadu Buhari made concessions, the protesters are still on the streets. The spontaneous back up of the protests abroad has made the probe more compelling,” the source said.
He hinted that the police, security agencies and the military have been directed to engage in minimal containment. “No tanks will be rolled out against the protesters by the police, the military and security agencies because of the larger picture being analysed.”
Meanwhile, Sunday Dare, minister of Youth and Sports Development, has written to the Inspector General of Police to release #EndSARS protesters who were arrested in different locations across the country for taking part in the protests. He urged the police boss to accelerate the reforms promised by President Muhammadu Buhari.
In the letter, which was also made available to ThisNigeria, the Minister described the disbandment of the Federal- Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) as the right step following the nationwide outcry of high-handedness, human rights violation and harassment of the youth and other Nigerians by some of the officers of the defunct SARS.
“It is our collective hope that the successor tactical unit to SARS will be a Special Force that will be more disciplined, ethical and professional with a new code of conduct that will guide their civil engagement. I also thank President Muhammadu Buhari for the positive steps he has taken on this matter.
“In the light of the above, I want to plead with the Inspector General of Police to go a step further by using your very good office to order the immediate release of all youth who were arrested or apprehended for participating in peaceful protests. They should not be punished for exercising their democratic right.
“Reports reaching me personally and out there in the media reveal that a number of our youth are under arrests, while some continue to suffer harassment and threats to life for participating in the #EndSARS protest.
Also, he reiterated the fact that the government was working to meet the aspirations of the youth and paying attention to their demands. “I fully support the aspirations of our Youth for better and humane treatment by the police and a stop to youth profiling. The youth mostly are the everyday victims of police harassments, illegal arrests and detentions and violation of rights. Our youth must be defended and not decimated. Their voices have been heard and President Buhari has gone to work for the Nigerian youth as seen in the several steps and directives issued for reforms,” he said.
Northern Governors
Curiously, however, governors of the 19 northern states have opposed the disbandment of the controversial SARS. Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State who disclosed this after a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari stated that SARS has been useful in the fight against insecurity in the region. “SARS is not made up of bad elements alone as it also includes personnel who are doing their work diligently,” he said. But he called on the federal government to reform the unit to enable it to discharge its functions optimally.
Many people have also called on the government to be more sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of the youths who are the future of this country. Mike Onolehmeme, former minister of works, policemen should be cautious of citizens because they are being paid and funded by taxpayers. “From footage I’ve seen on TV, you can see that citizens are not happy with these law enforcement agencies. It is time the federal government takes this issue seriously and brings about the reformation of the Nigeria police, all paramilitary and military operatives in our country,” he told this paper.
Afe Babalola, foremost legal practitioner, called on the government to dialogue with
#ENDSARS protesters. He noted that youths have the inalienable and fundamental right to protest against agencies of the Federal Government that have derailed from carrying out their constitutional mandate.
“They are telling the people in power that there’s pain. The pain may be poverty, unemployment, corruption and what the police are doing. And so no sensible government will not react to it.
“It is expedient that the Government should negotiate immediately and meet their demands to avert revolution,” he said.
Will government do that? Will the angry youths back down? What next post-SARS protests? It is anybody’s guess. And the story continues…
