Martins Oloja

care of the police and we will have better policing beyond the meretricious change of name of a unit that retains all former brutality. The leaders of tomorrow, the young ones are saying to our leaders including the governors, ‘ Weep not for SARS’, weep for the system that can’t reform the police service, and indeed a security architecture that can serve a Nigeria that can lead the black race. The young Nigerians who are teaching the world some modern art of non- violent resistance are saying to our leaders that they need to look beyond expensive and corruptible strategy to win elections for self- enrichment. They are saying to the mass media, develop capacity to cover Nigeria; don’t cover up this corrupt system. The young torchbearers are saying to the Nigerian Bar Association ( NBA): where were you when these desperate political leaders in Abuja removed our Chief Justice of the Federation in 2019 without recourse to the constitutional provisions for removing him? The Lord’s young resistant army is saying to our agonising university lecturers, you are intellectuals, you are our teachers, get out of the comfort of the staff clubs and reshape your destiny through modern methods of resistance that can touch the principalities and powers.

We can all see that since 2017 when the then IGP Ibrahim Idris claimed he had reformed SARS structure in the wake of a national outcry over the recording of the wanton killing of a young Nigerian by SARS operatives in December 2017, that nothing concrete has happened. And nothing will happen. This is still not a moment for lamentation. The young ones are tired of promises. In August, 2018, when VP Yemi Osinbajo was acting as President, there was a widespread grouse on the human rights abuses of SARS. The Acting President then actually ordered an overhaul of SARS operations. Nothing changed until January 2019 when the current Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu emerged. It is on record that the new IGP then ordered a comprehensive reform and decentralisation of the dreaded SARS. The enthusiastic Adamu in February 2019 followed up with an order and threat to disband SARS if they continued with their alleged brutality. In October 2020, the nation is on edge over renewed brutality of SARS even when the same IGP Adamu is still in office and Buhari who set it up under Kwajafa is still in power. Where do we go from here? The President should borrow some initiative from the resourceful Governor of Lagos State who bears more brunt as the chief host of the most sophisticated wing of # ENDSARS revolt. The Governor has set up a N200 million worth of fund for the families of casualties in the current campaign. The Governor was harassed but he remained calm and joined the campaign. He has since reported details of the demand of the very organised young Salvation Army to the president in Abuja. When will the President speak passionately to his children in Abuja?