TIG Post

Tag: SARS

  • Nigerian looters target government stores

    There have been widespread looting incidents in several states across Nigeria as hundreds of young people continue to storm government stores as well as private properties in unrest sparked by anti-police brutality protests.

    The UN humanitarian co-ordinator in the country Edward Kallon says some UN facilities including vehicles were also attacked in the southern city of Calabar by what he described as vandals trying to discredit the anti-police brutality protests. He called on young people to exercise restraint.

    In the northern Nigerian state of Adamawa, a government spokesperson told the BBC stampedes during looting at government facilities left at least five people dead.

    More than 400 people have been arrested in Lagos and Plateau states in connection with mass looting and violence there.

    There are reports of arrests in several other states.

    Food items, medicines and farming inputs such as fertilisers are among items looted in the attacks.

    Relief food meant to help the poor during the Covid-19 pandemic, allegedly hoarded by some state governments, were also looted. Some of the officials have denied the allegation.

    Private properties and those of UN agencies were also targeted in some places.

    Criminals causing mayhem have allegedly infiltrated the demonstrations which have now been called off.

    Source: bbc.com

  • #EndSARS: Listen to voices of the youth Johnson Sirleaf

    Former Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has called on African leaders to listen to and engage the youth and not try to silence them.

    Her call comes on the back of the ongoing protests and violence in Nigeria for better governance and an end to police brutality.

    Commenting on the development, Johnson Sirleaf called for a de-escalation of the festering violence in Nigeria.

    She tweeted: “The right to peacefully protest must be protected. I join the calls for an immediate de-escalation of violence against the #EndSARS protestors. It is critical that we listen to, and engage with, the voices of the youth—not try to silence them.”

    Meanwhile, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on the youth and civil society organisations of Nigeria to pursue dialogue to ensure an early and cordial resolution to the ongoing social unrest in order to safeguard its image as a peaceful state.

    A statement issued on Wednesday, 21 October 2020, signed by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, H.E. Jean Claude-Kassi Brou, said it has noted with “concern” that “demonstrations by Nigerian youth calling for police reform, particularly the abolition of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police, accused of misconduct by those demonstrating, have turned violent.”

    The Commission expressed its “condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives during the protests” and wished the “injured a speedy recovery.”

    It continued that while it “recognises the right of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protests, it is also of the view that those rights should be exercised in a non-violent manner.”
    The Commission also called “on all protesters to remain peaceful in the conduct of their demonstrations” and urged the Nigerian security operatives to exercise restraint in the handling of the protests and act professionally.

    “ECOWAS Commission further notes that, in an effort to address the demands of the protesting youth, the Federal Government of Nigeria took important decisions regarding disbandment of SARS, comprehensive police reforms and investigation of cases of police brutality. It encourages the Nigerian Authorities to conduct the investigation rapidly”.

    It also appealed to the “Federal Government of Nigeria, the Nigerian youth and the civil society to urgently pursue dialogue for an early and amicable resolution of this social unrest and maintain the Nigerian image as a bastion of law and order.”

    A number of protesters were reportedly shot dead or wounded on Tuesday night when armed uniformed officers opened fire on them at the commercial hub of Lagos.

    The military has denied involvement.

    Source: Class FM

  • ‘You have the right to protest but not in a violent manner’ ECOWAS to Nigerians

    The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Commission has said it has noted with concern that demonstrations by Nigerian youth calling for police reform, particularly the abolition of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police, accused of misconduct by those demonstrating, have turned violent.

    Scores of Nigerians and some security officers have been killed during the violent protests in the oil-producing West African nation.

    The Commission in a statement on Wednesday, October 21 expressed its condolences to the families and friends of those who have lost their lives during the protests and wishes the injured a speedy recovery.

    “While ECOWAS Commission recognizes the right of citizens to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and protests, it also wishes to stress that those rights should be exercised in a non-violent manner.

    “In this regard, ECOWAS Commission calls on all protesters to remain peaceful in the conduct of their demonstrations. It also urges the Nigerian security operatives to exercise restraint in the handling of the protests and act professionally,” the statement said.

    It added that “ECOWAS Commission further notes that, in an effort to address the demands of the protesting youth, the Federal Government of Nigeria took important decisions regarding disbandment of SARS, comprehensive police reforms and investigation of cases of police brutality. It encourages the Nigerian Authorities to conduct the investigation rapidly.”

    Source: 3 News

  • Nigerians remember those lost to police brutality in #EndSARS vigil

    Thousands of Nigerians gathered on Sunday for a vigil to remember those who lost their lives at the hands of the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) — a police unit accused of brutality and human rights crimes.

    Created in 1984 to combat growing robberies in Nigeria, the unit is now disbanded following one of the largest youth-led protests the country has seen in a decade launched earlier in October by way of the social media movement #EndSARSNow.

    Around 100 people have been injured and at least ten have died in the demonstrations due to what Amnesty International believes was the use of excessive force by the police. Nigerian youth are now calling for national police reform.

    Source: africanews.com/ap

  • New police unit to replace Nigeria’s ‘rogue’ squad

    The head of Nigerian police says a new unit has been set up to replace the controversial Special Anti Robbery Squad, known as Sars, which was disbanded following protests over human rights abuses.

    The new unit will be known as Swat or the Special Weapons and Tactics Team.

    Correspondents say many Nigerians are sceptical and continue to protest to call for major police reforms.

    In a bid to address the concerns the police chief said all members from the disbanded Sars unit would undergo a psychological and medical examination before further training and redeployment.

    He also ordered the unconditional release of all people arrested during the protests.

    Source: bbc.com

  • How Zlatan led Nigeria’s #EndSARS protest in Ghana

    Singer and songwriter, Zlatan Ibile led a peaceful protest in Ghana’s capital, Accra, today, 13 October calling for the end of police brutality, and extra-judicial killing by members of the now-defunct, Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    This was the second physical protest held in the diaspora after a successful exercise in London over the weekend.

    Zlatan, who is in Ghana for a music project with rapper, Sarkodie followed in the footsteps of several famous people in Nigeria and across the globe.

    According to the ‘Gbese’ hitmaker, the dissolution of SARS is the first of a long lst of demands the Nigerian youth are clamouring for.

    Spotted in a green beret, Zlatan led a punch of charged Nigerians mostly students and entrepreneurs.

    They chanted songs of dissatisfaction while they wielded placards with the now-famous inscription, #EndSARSNow.

    Other protesters could be seen in their customized T-shirt, waving banners and placards with inscriptions; ‘Stop Police Brutality’, ‘PMB Give Us Electricity, ‘Nigerian Youth Will Not Be Silenced’,’Having A Laptop Is Not A Crime, #ENDSARSNow’ written all over them.

    Despite the dissolution of SARS by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu on Sunday, October 11, 2020, the protests have spread rapidly across the country.

    While, celebrities Falz, Runtown, Tiwa Savage, Don Jazzy and comedian MrMacaroni led protests in several parts of Lagos; Phyno and Flavor also cordinated efforts from the Eastern part of Nigeria. Davido led a group from Abuja.

    Watch the video below:


    Source: mynigeria.com

  • #EndSARS protesters defy Nigerian governor

    Protesters in Nigeria’s southern state of Rivers are marching to the government house in the state capital, Port Harcourt, in defiance of the governor who banned all forms of protests.

    Governor Nyesom Wike had on Monday said that there was no need for the #EndSARS protests after demonstrations continued in other parts of the country despite authorities disbanding the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (Sars), which was notorious for unlawful arrests and murder.

    “Law enforcement agencies are also directed to ensure that the ban is enforced and that violators are brought to book,” his spokesperson Paulinus Nsirim said in a statement posted on Twitter.

    But despite heavy police presence, protesters still turned up at the Pleasure Park – their agreed venue on the outskirts of the city from where they started marching along a main road.

    One of the protesters, Gospel Orji, told the BBC that they were headed to government house to speak to the governor about his pronouncement.

    “This is no longer a protest, it is a movement,” he said.

    “We are going to show them that power belongs to the people,” he said.

    Demonstrations are also ongoing in several other states in the country despite assurances on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari that the disbandment of Sars was the first step in reforming the police.

    On the same day, a civilian and a police officer were killed in the commercial capital, Lagos, casting doubts on the sincerity of authorities to end police brutality.

    The cities where demonstrations are now taking place are:

    • Port Harcourt
    • Aba
    • Enugu
    • Ibadan
    • Lagos
    • Jos
    • Abuja

    Protesters want authorities to arrest and prosecute police officers who have been involved in the deaths and harassment of citizens since the demonstrations started last week, as a show of seriousness about police reforms.

    Source: bbc.com

  • End SARS: Unity is always formidable – Lawyer hails Nigerian youth after protest

    A Nigerian lawyer and political commentator has said that the strength and unity of the Nigerian youth cannot be questioned after a nationwide protest led to the dissolution of the infamous Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

    His comment follows the televised announcement by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu in Abuja on Sunday, October 12 (yesterday) that the police have dissolved the special unit.

    Prior to this, many Nigerians had hit the streets of major cities including Lagos and Abuja to drive home their demands of new reforms of the police service.

    Using the #EndSARS slogan, Nigerians far and wide both online and offline accused SARS and the police administration of theft, harassment, and battery.

    Famous celebrity such as Davido, Wizkid, Falz, Runtown, Don Jazzy, Tiwa Savage and comedian MrMacaroni joined and led protests in many parts of the country.

    Speaking to MyNigeria.com, Vice President, Synergies Institute-Ghana, Mr Ogochukwu Nweke said the success of the protest strengthens the school of thought that unity is always formidable.

    “This is the result of a collective effort. Unity is always formidable and productive. We might not all be friends and we might not all agree on the details of the matter, but we all agree that the matter has gone far enough.”

    He continued: “This is a mere foretaste of the change that is capable of happening in Nigeria if the people unite on a matter. It is the beginning of a revival that will change many things, if we keep the fire burning and refuse to be polluted,” he added.

    Despite the dissolution of SARS, some Lagosians residing on the island have taken to the streets to continue their protests demanding more reforms of the police service.

    An image cited by MyNigeria.com show hundreds of residents as they trooped the popular Lekki Toll Gate bringing vehicular movement to a complete halt.

    Some members of the police force were on-hand to ensure the protest was peaceful.

    Meanwhile, popular Nigerian singer, Ayodeji Balogun popularly known in the showbiz circle as Wizkid has urged the youth to use their vote to determine the fortunes of the country heading into the next general elections in 2023.

    Following in the path of other celebrity colleagues who thronged the streets in protest, Wizkid in a tweet shortly after the protest ended in the United Kingdom dropped a word of advice for the youth.

    According to Wizkid, there is a need for youths in the country to show their real power in the next general elections.

    “Next election we show real power.” Singer Wizkid tweeted.

    The tweet was also accompanied by a unique hashtag against police brutality in the country.

    Source: mynigeria.com

  • Buhari pledges ‘extensive’ police reforms

    Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari has promised “extensive” police reforms as protests against police brutality continue despite his announcement that the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad has been disbanded.

    In a video posted on Twitter, he also promised justice for victims of police abuse, and expressed regret for the loss of lives in south-western Oyo state during the protests.

    Mr Buhari added that most police officers were hard-working, and the reputation of the force should not be tarnished by a “few bad eggs”.

    You can watch him speak here:

    Source: bbc,com

  • Nigerias Inspector General of Police dissolves SARS

    The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has announced a dissolution of a subunit of the force, the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS).

    Adamu made the announcement on Sunday, days after a public outcry and series of protests calling for a scrapping of the unit over allegations of brutality and human rights violations.

    “The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police, otherwise known as SARS, is hereby dissolved across all formations, the 36 state police command and the Federal Capital Territory where they currently exist,” the IGP said.

    Also, in a statement, the Force Public Relations Office, Force Headquarters, Dcp Frank Mba, noted that “the dissolution of SARS is in response to the yearnings of the Nigerian people”.

    He explained that “the Force is not oblivious of the ever-present need to combat armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes in the country which was before now the core mandate of the erstwhile Squad”.

    Mba, therefore, assured that that a new policing arrangement to address anticipated policing gaps which the dissolution of SARS would cause, has been evolved and shall be announced in due course.

    Source: gossib24.com

  • Naira Marley cancels protest against Nigerian police unit

    Nigerian musician Azeez Fashola, popular as Naira Marley, has cancelled his planned protest against a police unit accused of harassment and brutality.

    The protest was to be held in the commercial capital, Lagos, from 09:00 local time.

    But he has tweeted that “there’s a lot of changes being made right now”:

    The Special Anti Robbery Squad (Sars) was on Sunday banned from carrying out stop and search duties and setting up roadblocks.

    The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said “far-reaching reforms to reposition Sars and other tactical squads for better service delivery” are being undertaken.

    Source: bbc.com