Despite SARS ban, protests continue
Despite the pronouncement by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, scrapping the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), the EndSARS protests continued yesterday in parts of the country.
The protesters who took to the streets in major cities insisted that the government needed to go beyond ban, saying the operatives who were alleged to have attacked and in some instances killed innocent Nigerians, be prosecuted.
The IGP, who spoke through the Force Public Relations Officer, DCP Frank Mba, on Sunday, had said that all officers and men of the FSARS would be redeployed with immediate effect.
The police boss added that a new anti-robbery squad would be set up to replace SARS.
He said the dissolution of the squad across the 36 state police commands and the Federal Capital Territory where they hitherto existed was in the spirit of democratic, citizen-centered and community policing.
The action came on the heels of a series of protests across the country, calling for the ban of the unit. Also speaking yesterday, he said training for the operatives to replace men of the now defunct SARS will commence next week.
To assuage Nigerians, President Muhammadu Buhari, yesterday said the ban was just a step in the efforts to address the problem, saying citizens should expect an extensive reform of the police force.
2 killed, many injured in Lagos protest
Hundreds of young men and women took to the streets in Surulere Local Government Area, Lagos State, to express their dissatisfaction over what they termed harassment and the brutalisation of young Nigerians by men of the SARS.
The protest, which started from the National Stadium area around 9 am yesterday suddenly turned violent leading to the death of two persons. It was gathered that several persons including three policemen were also injured.
“A young girl who was hit by a stray bullet fell down by the side of the road while a second victim, a woman, was also hit by a bullet,” a witness who identified himself as Tola, a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), at Barracks bus stop said.
Tola said fear of having their station run over by the protesters caused the policemen to open fire. Another source said someone was gunned down at Shitta roundabout in Surulere by the police.
Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed the incident, said three policemen sustained severe injuries when the protesters tried to overrun the Anti-Kidnapping Unit of the Command at Ojuelegba.
Following the development, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos State governor, said he would meet President Buhari on the issue. The governor said this while addressing protesters at Lekki toll-gate.
According to a statement shared by Jubril Gawat, the special adviser to Mr Sanwo-Olu on media, the governor will visit the president on today.
According to the statement, Mr Sanwo-Olu identified with the EndSARS campaigners, noting that their agitations touched the essence of democratic freedom.
Security beefed up in Osogbo
Security was beefed up around the Osun State Secretariat, Osogbo, as youths protested against SARS.
Security personnel were seen across some strategic locations at the state secretariat to forestall any form of violence by the protesters.
Many youths were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions as they marched through the old Nelson Mandela Freedom Park to Osun State Secretariat, Abere.
Mr Akanji Adabalara, who spoke on behalf of the protesters, said the IGP’s comment disbanding the squad was not satisfactory, adding that there must be an executive order by the president.
The Secretary to the State Government, Prince Wole Oyebamiji, told the youths that their demands would be channeled to appropriate quarters.
Ilorin locked down
Similarly, Ilorin, the Kwara State capital was locked down yesterday by youths who joined their counterparts across the country to protest against SARS. Hundreds of the angry youths with various placards went round Taiwo, Unity, Post Office Murtala Mohammed way,
Sawmill area, Offa garage area and other major streets.
The protesters later assembled at the Challenge area of Ilorin to address the crowd before they went to the government house along Ahmadu Bello way. The protest was non-violent as the police and men of the DSS monitored the protest.
Gridlock in Abuja, Benin
Commuters and motorists were stranded in the Federal Capital Territory as the EndSARS protesters blocked major roads.
The protesters who promised to keep up their campaign, barricaded the popular Berger Roundabout at the heart of the national capital, rendering thousands of commuters and motorists stranded.
The protesters who came out in their numbers sought justice for victims of police brutality and an overhaul of the security apparatus.
Thousands of residents who left their offices and business places at close of work were stuck at the roundabout, which is a link to various destinations in and outside the city.
Vehicles coming from Area 1 axis were forced to reverse and take alternative routes, just as those from Karimo, Jabi and Utako, heading to Wuse, Central Business District and to satellite towns outside the Federal Capital City were held up in a chaotic traffic jam.
Also in Benin, Edo State, youths barricaded the King Square and Benin- Ekpoma road. The youths demanded among other things, the release of 12 protesters by SARS operatives.
The protest resulted in a gridlock at the King square and the adjoining Airport Road, Akpkakpava road, Mission Road, Sakpoba Road and Sapele Road as well as the Benin- Ekpoma expressway
The protesters’ spokesperson, Mr. Idowu Maleke, called for the arrest and prosecution of SARS operatives for “brutalising’’ innocent youths.
“It is just like they are changing their uniforms but these same people are still there. The police has to release the 12 protesters at Ekpoma to calm down nerves,” he said.
Ooni: SARS almost killed my daughter
Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi also relieved his daughter’s ordeal in the hands of SARS.
The monarch, who declared support for the ongoing #EndSARS protests, warned the police to stop attacking the demonstrators.
In a statement posted on his Twitter account, the monarch warned the police to stop persecuting demonstrators.
He said the youths were fighting a good cause which would positively affect security operatives in the long run.
He said: “The #ENDSARS movement has brought nothing but joy to me. Finally, the youths are awake, with one voice and a common goal.
“I understand your plight, my 25-year-old daughter had a nasty experience with SARS, almost losing her life.
“On her way to the airport, she was stopped and terribly ransacked and surrounded by fully armed plain clothes policemen in a bus, detained for close to 30mins of thorough questioning.
“Imagine a young female for that matter, all her belongings completely searched all because she was with a laptop on an official assignment from her office in Lagos.
“I can only imagine the countless ones that have lost their lives from such ordeals, may their souls rest in peace’’.
Police arraign 3 protesters in Ogun
The Ogun State Police Command yesterday arraigned three protesters before a magistrate court in Abeokuta, the state capital.
The protesters, Adeniji Sodiq, Mutairu Faruq and Olatoye Joseph, who were arrested at the Owu palace last Friday, were arraigned on a four-count charge, including ‘attempted murder”.
The state police spokesperson, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said the suspect have been remanded.
He accused the protesters of attacking two police officers with machete. He said the officers are in critical condition in a hospital.
According to the charge sheet, the protesters committed an offence contrary to section 324 of the criminal code laws of Ogun State, 2006.
Training of new anti-robbery operatives begin next week – IGP
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has assured that the training of operatives for the new police unit to take over from the disbanded SARS will commence next week.
Adamu spoke when popular musician, David Adeleke aka Davido, visited him in the office on Monday over the EndSARS protests.
He said with the disbandment of SARS, there was a need to get a new structure to carry out the duties of the defunct unit, which is fighting violent crimes.
He said the new outfit would be intelligence-driven, properly trained and only act on special occasions that require their attention.
He said the unit would be made up of fresh personnel with fresh orientation and not officers from the scrapped unit.
Adamu said this was the first time they have decisively taken action on SARS and called for calm as they continue to resolve all the issues. The IGP promised to investigate all cases of brutality and bring perpetrators to book.
Davido urged that all officers who were part of SARS be relieved of their duties. He also demanded the immediate release of all arrested protesters.
Expect extensive reforms – Buhari police
Meanwhile President Muhammadu Buhari has said that the SARS disbandment is the first step to extensive police reform by his administration.
Speaking at the launch of the Presidential Youth Empowerment Scheme (P-YES), aimed at creating 774,000 jobs across the Local Government Areas (LGAs) in the country, he ordered that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongful acts be brought to justice.
Buhari said: “I will like to use this opportunity to say a word on the recent genuine concerns and agitations by Nigerians about the excessive use of force and in some cases extra-judicial killings and wrongful conduct of the men of the Nigerian Police Force.
“The disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remain the protection of lives and livelihood of our people.