A final year student who hoped to be graduating with his course mates might have to spend some extra time in school after he missed his last exam.
According to social media reports, he was arrested by operatives of the special anti-robbery squad, (SARS), a disbanded unit of the Nigeria Police Force, on Wednesday just as he was going for his final papers.
A Twitter user identified as Harrison Mbamara shared the young man’s story on the micro-blogging social network.
The student reportedly spent most part of the day in detention on August 4, unfortunately by the time he was released, the examination had already been concluded.
In a silent protest over his pitiable situation, he explained on his T-Shirt the reason he is unable to graduate. He was meant to wear the shirt for his signing out session.
On the shirt, he wrote; ”I would have graduated today, but State-CID said No!!. Boardman”
On Wednesday, Harrison shared a photo of the final year student wearing the shirt and wrote; ”He is reported to have been taken away by SARS early this morning even as he was supposed to write his last paper today,
Sylvanus, a civil servant with the Universal Basic Education, told the panel that the incident happened at his residence in Rumuohalu, near Port Harcourt on August 14, 2014.
Nyordeh Sylvanus, a petitioner at the ongoing public hearing by the Rivers State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Police Brutality, has appeared before the panel to narrate how his three-day-old daughter was allegedly killed by stray bullets from operatives of the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Sylvanus, a civil servant with the Universal Basic Education, told the panel that the incident happened at his residence in Rumuohalu, near Port Harcourt on August 14, 2014.
He said the SARS operatives shot sporadically in the area with one of the bullets penetrating the roof of his house, killing his three-day old daughter.
Sylvanus demanded justice for his late daughter as well as the re-roofing of his house allegedly also damaged by stray bullets from SARS operatives.
He said, “We woke up in the morning of August 15, 2014 to observe that one of the bullets from SARS operatives, who were shooting from the night of August 14, 2014, penetrated my roof and killed my only daughter, a three-day-old baby.
“I picked the bullet on August 15 morning and went to SARS office, but was stopped at the entrance of the office by operatives who ordered me to turn back or join my dead daughter.”
However, counsel to the Commissioner of Police, Mercy Nweke, during cross-examination, dismissed Sylvester’s claim, arguing that the bullet he presented hadn’t been used and so couldn’t have killed anybody.
She also asked why he didn’t report the case at a police station.
FULL DEREGULATION OIL AND GAS SECTOR TO ALLOW MORE INVESTMENTS FOR JOB CREATION
IMMEDIATE PASSAGE OF PIB
FULL DEREGULATION OF POWER SECTOR TO ALLOW INVESTMENT CAPITAL FLOW TO GENERATE, TRANSMIT AND DISTRIBUTE MORE POWER AND CREATE JOBS
SHOULD HANDS OFF PETROLEUM PRICING TO ENABLE FREE MARKET DETERMINATION OF PRICING
CLOSE OUR NORTHERN BORDERS TO STOP FREE ENTRY OF FULANI HERDSMEN AND BANDITS
INCLUSIVE GOVERNMENT FOR ALL TRIBES AND REGIONS OF NIGERIA WITH 50% YOUTHS IN CHARGE OF GOVERNANCE
ALLOCATE MORE FUNDS TO EDUCATION SECTOR TO PROVIDE BETTER TEACHING TOOLS AND TO PAY BETTER SALARIES TO END ASUU STRIKES
CHANGE OUR ACADEMIC CURRICULUM TO REFLECT MODERN DAY REALITIES
ALL POLITICIANS SHOULD BE PLACED ON MINIMUM WAGE TO ATTRACT GENUINE PUBLIC SERVANTS
MIGRATE TO 100% ELECTORAL REFORMS WITH ELECTRONIC VOTING TIED TO OUR BVN AND GSM
RETURN NIGERIA TO REGIONAL GOVERNANCE STRUCTURE OR RESTRUCTURE THE COUNTRY AND EMBRACE TRUE FEDERALISM. STATES AUTONOMY MUST BE PARAMOUNT.
DISBAND THE BI-CAMERAL LEGISLATURE AND ADOPT UNI-CAMERAL
IMMEDIATELY REFORM NIGERIA POLICE FORCE AND LET EVERY STATE OR REGION CREATE ITS OWN POLICE SERVICE
NO MORE BUDGET FOR RUNNING PRIVATE AFFAIRS OF ELECTED AND APPOINTED PUBLIC SERVANTS
ENTHRONE UNIVERSITY EDUCATION AS MINIMUM QUALIFICATION FOR PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS AT ALL LEVELS OF GOVERNMENT FROM PRESIDENT TO LOCAL GOVERNMENT AND WARD CHAIRPERSONS
STRIP EX-GOVERNORS AND ALL ELECTED AND APPOINTED PUBLIC SERVANTS OF ALL BENEFITS AFTER OFFICE.
INCREASE SALARIES OF OUR DOCTORS, NURSES, TEACHERS, POLICE, MILITARY OFFICERS, AND CIVIL SERVANTS
GOVERNMENT SHOULD HANDS OFF OWNERSHIP AND MANAGEMENT OF BUSINESSES AT ALL LEVELS.
NAME AND SHAME LOOTERS AND MAKE CRIMINAL OFFENDERS, AND LOOTERS FACE TRIAL IN THEIR HOME STATES AND VILLAGES TO SHAME THEM AND THEIR FAMILIES
STOP FOREIGN MEDICAL TRIPS FOR PUBLIC SERVANTS. LET THEM BE TREATED HERE IN NIGERIA. WHEN LAST DID YOU HEAR AMERICAN PRESIDENT OR BRITISH PRIME MINISTER VISIT NIGERIA FOR MEDICAL TOURISM?
The man who set up the hated Nigerian police unit, SARS declares that he feels “sad” and “guilty” about what the agency has become.
“SARS of today is not the same Sars I established in 1984,” Fulani Kwajafa said. He said the unit had been “turned into banditry”.
He also explained that the code of conduct that he set up when creating SARS had ensured that there was “no incident with members of the public” when he was in charge. The former police boss accused the agency of “brutality” saying that the officer’s acts could have been driven by “greed.” “I always tell my wife that I was sad [that] what I created with good purpose and direction has been turned into banditry,”
Mr Kwajafa said, adding that he supported the disbandment of the unit “100%”.
Officers from the Special Anti Robbery Squad have been accused of committing extrajudicial killings and torture.
Fulani Kwajafa the aged.
Meanwhile “SARS was established by me under the directive of the then IG, Mr. Inyang expressly to fight violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, anything violent. We never went for burglary cases, we didn’t go in for pick pocketing, market theft and such things, we don’t go there, it never belonged to us, local police stations are around, they handle that.
It was only crimes that involved killing, maiming; that was what SARS was established to handle. SARS is being misused now; they are misused for selfish interests, especially by politicians, but anyone calling for the scrapping of SARS doesn’t want this country to be in peace because SARS wherever it is, is supposed to operate in ways that instil fear into those violent criminals that terrorize law-abiding Nigerians.
SARS according to Kwajafa is meant for countering violent crimes, armed robbery and now, kidnapping and murder.
“When we established SARS, nobody was corrupt! When they give you information money N5,000, it is sufficient for one week. Petrol was N7 to fill a car’s tank so when you are going on operation and you are given N200, with three vehicles, it is sufficient. You get N300 for one week; you go on operation and come back with your independent mind. But the economic recession is forcing people to do all sorts, enabling some people to even buy the services of SARS, so the operation of SARS is misconstrued! People are taking undue advantage and black leg policemen sometimes submit themselves to carry out unlawful activities in the name of SARS”
President Muhammadu Buhari announced the disbandment of the agency this week after thousands of Nigerians took to the streets to protest against police brutality.
A new agency called SWAT has been formed to take over duties performed by Sars but this has also been rejected by the protesters. On the announcement of the new agency SWAT, Mr Kwajafa comments that the changes might be undermined if there’s no “change in mentality”.
The demonstrators have been using the hashtag #EndSars to push for their cause, which has since been endorsed by global celebrities such as Twitter founder Jack Dorsey, US rapper Kanye West, gospel singer Kirk Franklin, footballers Mesut Ozil and Marcus Rashford and Nigerian superstars Davido and Wizkid.
On Friday, Twitter launched a clenched fist emoji in a show of support for the protests.
A former aide to ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, Reno Omokri, has reacted to the formation of a new unit to replace the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS.
DAILY POST recall that the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Adamu had announced the formation of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team to “fill the gaps” arising from the dissolution of SARS.
The IGP also ordered all operatives of the disbanded SARS to report in Abuja for debriefing and medical examination.
However, reacting to the development, Omokri insisted that SWAT will be like when NEPA changed to PHCN.
He tweeted: “The SWAT announced by the @PoliceIGP is a Greek Gift.
“Without weeding out errant cops and recruiting new blood, who must go through a different and better training than SARS, the SWAT will just be like when NEPA changed to PHCN #ENDSARS #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria#SARSMUSTEND.”
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said on Tuesday the state government had set up a N200 million compensation fund for families of people killed by the now-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
Sanwo-Olu, who announced this while addressing the #ENDSARS protesters at the Lagos House of Assembly gate, Alausa, Ikeja, said the fund would be completely supervised by civil society organisations appointed by members of the public.
The governor asked the protesters to send the list of everyone that had fatal encounters with SARS in Lagos to the state government.
He said the government would identify the families and ensure that they are compensated.
The governor said he fully identified with the #ENDSARS struggle, adding that many youths had been battered in the past by the police tactical squad.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has set up a new unit to replace the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The Force Spokesman, Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement issued in Abuja, Tuesday.
The IGP had on Sunday announced the disbandment of the police tactical squad following week-long nationwide protests over its activities.
The statement read: “The Inspector- General of Police, M.A. Adamu, today, 13th October, 2020, in accordance with Section 18 (10) of the Police Act 2020, ordered all personnel of the defunct SARS to report at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, for debriefing, psychological and medical examination. The officers are expected to undergo this process as a prelude to further training and reorientation before being redeployed into mainstream policing duties.
“The medical examination will be carried out by the newly set-up Police Counselling and Support Unit (PCSU), a unit, which henceforth shall engage in psychological management, re-orientation and training of officers of the Force deployed for tactical operations and other duties.
“The unit, which is domiciled with the Force Medical Department and coordinated by the Force Medical Officer, has its membership drawn from amongst psychiatrists, psychologists, medics, pastors and imams, public relations practitioners, civil society and other human rights groups with relevant qualifications and expertise.
“Meanwhile, the IGP has set up a new Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team that will fill the gaps arising from the dissolution of the defunct SARS. Prospective members of this new team will also undergo psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility for the new assignment.
“They are to commence training at the different police tactical training institutions nationwide, next week. While personnel from the police commands in the South-East and the South-South will be trained at the Counter-Terrorism College, Nonwa-Tai, Rivers State, those from the police commands from the North and the South-West will be trained at the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ende, Nasarawa State and the Police Mobile Force Training College, Ila-Orangun, Osun State, respectively.”
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has warned that the ongoing End SARS protests may consume Nigeria.
Adams said “there are signals” of a national crisis, and advised authorities to properly manage the situation.
He condemned the use of live bullets against demonstrators by policemen.
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives since the protests began.
In a statement on Tuesday, Adams told the Police that it is the right of Nigerian youths to express anger over extra-judicial activities of law enforcement agencies.
The Aare Onakakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, has warned that the ongoing End SARS protests may consume Nigeria.
Adams said “there are signals” of a national crisis, and advised authorities to properly manage the situation.
He condemned the use of live bullets against demonstrators by policemen.
No fewer than 6 people have lost their lives since the protests began.
In a statement on Tuesday, Adams told the Police that it is the right of Nigerian youths to express anger over extra-judicial activities of law enforcement agencies.
“It is most disturbing seeing the number of casualties in the protests growing by the day. It is unfortunate that some bad eggs in the police have become utterly lawless, killing Nigerians raising their voices against SARS brutality.
“Those youths protesting are of the digital age, they are the leaders of the future and they are entitled to express their voices and concerns against the state of the nation.”
“In the history of our nation, it has never got to this level where the entire system is in comatose. It behoves on the Federal Government to listen to the cries of Nigerians over the spate of insecurity, hike in electricity tariff, increase in the prices of food commodities, and high cost of living.
“Many of the youths protesting are students that left the universities years ago and are still unemployed. With their hopes bleak, they are frustrated with the government; they have lost confidence.
“More importantly, I think we must restructure this country to regionalism, based on federating units or we exit through referendum peacefully without shedding of blood. Liberia, Rwanda, Congo and Somalia started like this before they were engulfed in war”, Adams warned.
The demands include halting use of force against protesters and the unconditional release of arrested citizens.
The presidency has released the statement below indicating the government’s readiness to meet the demands of the #ENDSARS protesters.
The demands include halting use of force against protesters and the unconditional release of arrested citizens.
The decision was taken at a meeting between the government, the police, and civil society, a statement by presidential spokesperson Femi Adesina said.
“The Ministry of Police Affairs and Police Service Commission were also present at the meeting that affirmed that the five-point demands of the protesters and the ENDSARS movement are genuine concerns and will be addressed by the Government,” the statement says.
Hundreds of protesters campaigning against police brutality and calling for the disbandment of the notorious police unit, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS),have shut down the Osun State governor’s office.
The protesters on Monday disrupted vehicular movements and locked the entrance gate of the State Government Secretariat in Osogbo, Osun capital.
Some protesters who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES said except Governor Gboyega Oyetola agrees to address the protesters, his office gate will remain closed.
Protests seeking the disbandment of SARS having taken place since last week. Demonstrations have spread across the country and have drawn wide international support.
The police announced a dissolution of the unit on Sunday after multiple attacks on protesters. However, protests have continued with activists expressing dissatisfaction with terms of the announced reforms.
The Osun State’s Commissioner of Information, Funke Egbemode, did not respond to our correspondent’s calls and text messages on whether the governor will address the protesters or not.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan has said that President Muhammadu Buhari yielding to the demand of Nigeria on Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), was a demonstration of good leadership.
Following widespread protests against the activities of SARS, Nigerian government on Sunday, October 11, disbanded the police unit.
Responding to the development in a statement released in Abuja on Sunday by his Special Adviser (Media), Ola Awoniyi, Lawan commended President Buhari and the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu for disbanding SARS.
“I am applauding the president because it is a demonstration of good leadership to yield to the demand of the populace in difficult situations like this,” he said.
Also applauding Adamu, he said that the police boss should beyond the disbursement of SARS come up with measures for the transformation of the Nigeria Police into an effective law enforcement and crime fighting agency that would be a true and respected friend of the Nigerian people.
Further noting that all the measures should completely address all the concerns that led to the fate that befell SARS, Lawan added:
“The expectation is that this situation offers us another opportunity to reform the operations of the entire Force.
“I also reiterate my call for the prosecution of all security personnel whose extra judicial killings and other acts of misconduct brought us to this sorry state.
“I hope that the steps taken by the Inspector-General of Police will be followed with more comprehensive reform of the police.”
End SARS protesters have shut down Lekki toll gate in Lagos.
This has caused traffic jam on the Lekki-Ajah express.
The campaigners had announced on Sunday that workers and other commuters would be affected.
They are demanding that the Police go beyond disbandment of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The protesters want investigation and prosecution of all officers accused of murder and assault over the years.
Meanwhile, the petition to have the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, and other senior officers banned from the United States, United Kingdom and others is gaining traction.
Thousands have signed and many more have indicated interest to do the same this week.
Nigerians, on Monday, shifted attention to the Minister of Police Affairs, Muhammad Dingyadi, after his comment on SARS.
Dingyadi, Sunday night, reacted to the disbandment of the police unit by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu.
The minister told citizens to consider the development a sign that the federal government was ready to fix the issues.
“I urge Nigerians to see the disbandment of SARS, as government’s commitment to deepening relationship between Nigerians and the police, for better service delivery.
“Let’s continue to work together to secure our communities”, he tweeted.
Hundreds of respondents expressed shock that Nigeria had a Police Minister.
They rejected Dingyadi’s submission and asked where he was while the notorious SARS unit operated with impunity.
“So the government are committed to deepening our relationships with police. Of course they have been allowing SARS to kill us like chickens. The government didn’t condemn them neither did the so called police”, @Siwai_rid tweeted.
“Who are you fooling? We must continue our protest until our demand is fulfilled. This just the beginning of our protest”, @AfoxAbdullah also replied.
The big brother NAIJA (BBN) season 5 winner, Laycon , advocates for youths on SARS issue. He disclosed this by sharing a video of him speaking with a top officer in the police force. He mentioned that he was once a victim of police harassment.
Laycon
The video below reveals his discussion with the top police officer.
“Advocating for change . We all deserve to feel safe in our cities. We should not have to seek for protection from the people that are meant to protect us.”
Mohammed Adamu, inspector-general of police (IGP), has banned operatives of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS), the Special Tactical Squad (STS) and Intelligence Response Team (IRT) from undertaking routine patrols as well as stop and search duties.
Frank Mba, police spokesman, disclosed the directive of the IGP in a statement on Sunday.
The directive is coming in the wake of an outrage over alleged criminal and extra-judicial actions of FSARS officers against citizens in various parts of the country.
In the statement, Mba said the IGP also directed that no officer should embark on a patrol in mufti.
The inspector-general of police, IGP M.A Adamu, NPM, mni has banned the personnel of the Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (FSARS) and other Tactical Squads of the Force including the Special Tactical Squad (STS), Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad and other Tactical Squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command levels, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc – with immediate effect,” he said.
“The IGP has warned the Tactical Squads against the invasion of the privacy of citizens particularly through indiscriminate and unauthorized search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices.
“They are to concentrate and respond only to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.”
Mba quoted Adamu as saying FSARS and other police tactical squads remain “a critical component of the Force in confronting prevailing and emerging violent crimes in the country”.
“He however condemns every act of unprofessionalism, abuse of human rights and high-handedness by some personnel of the Squads,” the force public relations officer said.
“He has therefore ordered the X-Squad and the Monitoring Unit to embark on immediate and massive nationwide monitoring of activities of Tactical Squads and other police officers on the road.
“They are to ensure prompt arrest, investigation and prosecution of all erring police officers who violate these directives and other extant regulations of the Force.
The IGP has equally warned that henceforth, the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands and the FCT as well as their supervisory Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police, will be held liable for any misconduct within their Area of Responsibility (AOR).”
The police spokesman said two FSARS officers and one civilian accomplice have been arrested in Lagos for professional misconduct.
“Two operatives of the FSARS and their civilian accomplice operating in Lagos State, INSPR Sale James, INSPR Monday Uchiola and Okechukwu Ogbonna, have been arrested by the Lagos State Police Command, for acts of professional misconduct including extortion and intimidation of innocent citizens,” he said.
“The operational vehicle of the men has also been impounded and disciplinary procedure has already commenced against the defaulters.”
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