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Atiku Boosts Campaign Against SARS
Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has joined the campaign against operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) over the arbitrary arrest and harassment of Nigerians.
Atiku, on his verified twitter handle, yesterday, said the arbitrary harassment of young Nigerians by police has no place in a democratic society.
“The arbitrary harassment of young Nigerians by police (who should be protecting them) has no place in a democratic society.
“The #EndSARS protest shows Nigerian youth are upset and the matter needs urgent attention,” Atiku tweeted.
Atiku’s comment on SARS brutality followed complaints by many Nigerians on the social media that operatives of SARS should be called to order and stopped from brutalising innocent Nigerians.
Some are even calling for the outright scrapping of the anti-crime outfit.
It would be recalled that following serious complaints of harassment by SARS in the social media, the Nigerian Police Force Public Complaint Rapid Response Unit (PCRRU), last Saturday, called on Nigerians to feel free to voice their complaints about the operations of SARS.
The police statement reads: “Do you have any complaints about your contact with SARS? You don’t need to know their names, all we need you to provide are details of the occurrence (action/act) with DATE, TIME & PLACE. Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) #BailisFree #NoToImpunity. Please share this message,” the tweet read.
The police also requested Nigerians to report any infraction by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) through the #BailisFree #NoToImpunity channels.
The channels listed for Nigerians to report any cases of lawlessness, impunity, abuse of office, among others include, 08057000001 and 08057000001 for calls; 08057000003 for SMS and WhatsApp messages; and 2BA2B5DE for BlackBerry messages.
The police gave the assurance that all complaints will be treated swiftly.
As a result of this, many Nigerians expressed their opinions on Twitter.
Many posted tweets and videos of police brutality and harassment by SARS operatives on social media calling on the police authorities to scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, popularly known by the acronym SARS.
The Tide reports that the move by the PCRRU may be connected to the public outcry, especially in Rivers State, that has trailed the activities of many SARS officials in recent times.
Over the last couple of months, the Rivers State Government, Rivers State House of Assembly, federal lawmakers, and residents of the state, have been calling endlessly on the police high command to redeploy the Commander of SARS in the state, CSP Akin Fakorede, and overhaul the unit to check the operatives’ war against Rivers people and ensure improved efficiency and effectiveness.
Late in October, 2017, a 2015 graduate of Kwara State Polytechnic, Ekwere Imoh, was shot by policemen attached to SARS, Oyo State Police Command. The policemen also shot a female friend of his, identified simply as Doris, who was with him. There were no concrete reasons for shooting the duo as they were neither criminals nor under arrest for any offences.
Earlier in the same month, a lady, Kachi Anifela Zion, accused officers of SARS in Ilorin of sexual molestation.
She alleged that a male SARS official under the pretence of searching her, dipped his hand in her underwear.
She further revealed that the SARS official threatened to beat her if she shouted, adding that the officer continued to fondle, rough handle and humiliate her for several minutes.
The SARS official implicated in the matter was later arrested.
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