Every day we often say is for the thief but just one day for the house owner. This expression seems to aptly capture the recent experience of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) formation of the Nigeria Police Force, NPF which has just been disbanded following public uproar. The nation has for some days been engulfed in avoidable protests against the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), particularly the SARS fraction for its failures to conform with the ethics of their practice.
It has been one recklessness too many by the SARS including, loss of precious lives, loss of loved ones and what more loss of breadwinners for homes and families (Extra judicial killings), in addition to various intimidations, human rights abuses, extortions and theft, and other forms of hooliganism. The campaign began like one of those social media instigations, and gradually snowballed into a physical reality where the center can no longer hold.
The excesses of the police exemplified by the activities of the inglorious SARS, elucidated much agitation from the young and old most of who are already under one pressure or the other not to contemplate the corona virus pandemic. It is no more news that the federal Government has given in to public demand to ban SARS, but ironically, after the pronouncement, the protest is still raging, a clear indication of the many frustrations of protesters.
However, we have gone down town to feel the pulse of citizens on their reactions towards the development – the ban of the SARS caste of the NPF. Firing the first salvo is no other but a renowned security officer and one time Commissioner of Police, CP Frank Odita, who expressed the view that if the SARS nay the Police Force abides by the provisions of the Police Act, which gave it being; abide by its slogan which says; Police is your friend; or its members obey the laws of the land, there will not be problem. But we have problems at the moment, because some of the men of the Police Force have derailed from the motives of their calling.
“The aim for the formation of SARS from the Force was quite justified when it happened. SARS was indeed a child of necessity born to tame violent armed robbery and high powered criminality in the land. We have had fine officers such as Abba Kyari who left indelible marks on the sand of SARS operations. I think what has happened is the entrance of some others who have come into the Force with the ulterior motive of serving self than the nation. However, banning the agency, is not the best in mitigating the human rights abuses or brutality leveled against the SARS. Fact remains that the erstwhile members of the SARS will have to be re-absorbed into the system, and the recklessness will continue. I think what government should do is to reform and overhaul the entire police force because, a whole lot is wrong and need to be addressed in the Force. More so, the nation’s police force can only reflect the society it serves. The End SARS protests also calls for government to look inward to discover the root cause of the challenge. If you ask me, the problem of the police in this country began in 1966, after the military coup. Before then, the police earned and had all needed trust and confidence from the people. Before then, the police was adequately provided for and respected too because they delivered expected protection. After the coup, the police force became neglected and all adversities set in.”
CP Frank Odita (Rtd)
#EndSARS protests are in order for according to her, the agency’s many excesses are enough reasons to end it. She was quick to also note that criminals may take advantage of the lacuna that may create to perpetrate mayhem on citizens and so advices government to fill the vacuum with another duly trained personnel under a new fad to take over that aspect of securing society that will adequately address current security trends.
Rachael Madu, Banker turned ICT mogul
A Senior lecturer at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede near Owerri, the Imo state capital, Sir Mike Okonkwo totally supports government action by banning the nefarious agency because the original objective for its formation has been defeated. In his views, the SARS as a special police squad has overstepped its professional bounds by killing, maiming and harassing the people they were expected to protect hence it is best to scrap it. For any security agency to be, shooting and killing armless citizens is not acceptable in today’s society. They should be adequately motivated and trained to enable them manage protection of citizens and property adequately. Rather than ban them, there are various civil ways of disciplining them.
Mike Okonkwo, Senior lecturer, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede
“I support the clamour for a reform which should include inviting ex-service men who had made their marks in the police service to be given the opportunity to train them on ethics and psychology. There is need to improve the wellbeing of the police force; the Nigerian police is the least paid all over the world. There is need to rehabilitate the police. It is good that the aim of the demonstration is not solely against the Nigerian police but an opportunity for some Nigerians to express their inner feelings of dissatisfactions against the various levels of government in the country. The kind of policing a nation gets is a reflection of that society It is heartwarming that the IGP Mohammed Adamu announced that the disbanded squad have been invited to the Force Headquarters in Abuja for a mental health assessment and other rehabilitation before re-integrating them into other police formations. But from popular call, the entire Police Force needs total overhaul including mental examinations, and this must not be ignored for a better Police Force for the nation. The IGP also added that, the Force has set up a new outfit known as Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), to take over from the dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police Force No doubt these and many more capture the essence of the protests, but as Ambassador Nwokolo observed, the protest goes beyond ENDSARS campaign as there is so much hardship and frustrations on the land, the ENDSARS march has only offered an opportunity to spill the spleen; a food for thought for our leaders.”
Ambassador Professor Mike Nwokolo, retired Police Officer and Criminology Lecturer at University of Lagos
A Senior lecturer at Federal Polytechnic, Nekede near Owerri, the Imo state capital, Sir Mike Okonkwo totally supports government action by banning the nefarious agency because the original objective for its formation has been defeated. In his views, the SARS as a special police squad has overstepped its professional bounds by killing, maiming and harassing the people they were expected to protect hence it is best to scrap it. For any security agency to be, shooting and killing armless citizens is not acceptable in today’s society. They should be adequately motivated and trained to enable them manage protection of citizens and property adequately. Rather than ban them, there are various civil ways of disciplining them.
Mike Okonkwo, Senior lecturer, Federal Polytechnic, Nekede
“I propose medical examination for the Police to decipher root cause of their misdemeanors and the need to tame the trigger thirsty fingers of some of them. This will help ascertain their mind set and mental health state because some of their excesses are simply scandalous. SARS was formed when the nation was in dire need for a match for the rampant criminality of that time. They came and accomplished their mission then, it is only natural to disband them so that when another need arises, another formation will be formed in line with nature of the need. SARS has outlived its usefulness hence disbanding it is the right thing to do. For instance, what the nation needs now is an agency that will effectively deal with kidnapping, cattle rustling, yahoo yahoo Boys and men etc, which are the current challenge of Nigeria at the moment.”
Dr. Hajia Bilikisu Magoro, International Affairs and Diplomacy Business Consultan
