By Amaechi Agbo

Super Eagles and Super Falcons Players have joined the national and global protests against police brutality and killing of Nigerian youths with recklessness by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, Bestchoicesports.com.ng can report.

After their 1-0 loss to Algeria in a friendly match on Friday, Super Eagles players took to their twitter handles to expressed their disdain against police manhandling, harassment and killing of innocent Nigeria youths.

Leading the park is the Eagles captain, Ahmed Musa noted that in the country currently, love for one another is scarce and called for the right thing to be done.

“In a world where genuine love for ourselves seems to be so scarce, I sincerely pray that the right thing is done to put an end to the strife. #EndNorthBanditry #EndPoliceBrutality,” Musa who plays for Al Nassr of Saudi Arabia said.

On his part, Manchester United striker and former Super Eagles player, Odion Jude Ighalo called for and end to SARS “#EndSARS #PoliceBrutality,” he said

Stand in captain in the Nigeria vs Algeria match on Friday, William Troost-Ekong said the players are together in calling for an end to SARS’s brutality.

“We stand together! #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality,” he said.

Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun while adding his support to the protest said that It is never good when those charged with protecting the citizens are now terrorising, extorting or even killing the same citizens.

“The reasons for the #EndSARSProtests have just come to my attention via very disturbing images & tweets. It is never good when those charged with protecting the citizens are now terrorising, extorting or even killing the same citizens. I support #EndSarsProtests #EndSars,” he said

John Ogu said enough is enough in his support for end SRAS now protest.

“Enough is Enough .. #EndSARS”

Super Falcons striker, Rasheedat Ajibade  also voiced her support for the protest. “If we don’t speak up now, it could be anyone of us or our family tomorrow. #EndSARS #EndSarsNow,” the Norway based striker said.

Nigeria Professional Football League players are not left out with Plateau United’s new player, Sunday Adetunji leading the homebased Eagles in calling on the federal government to scrap SARS.

Adetunji noted that footballers are not criminals because of their hairstyle adding that a lot of NPFL players have been harassed by the police.

“Footballers are not criminals because of hairstyle. A lot of @LMCNPFLplayers have been harassed by the police.”

He further said that the youths cannot live freely anymore and they live with fear of gunshot

“Our Youth can’t live freely anymore. We live with the fear of gunshots. Kudos to everyone that came out for the protest.”

Everton of England attacker, Alex Iwobi was not left out in the support for #EndSarsProtests protest. He called on the police to protect lives and not to take them away.

“#EndSARSImmediately #EndSarsProtests. Protect Lives, Not Take Them Away

#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality,” the former Arsenal player said.

On 19th July, 2019, Chinedu Obi was killed by SARS because of Tattoos on his body.

Ifeoma Abugu was recently killed in Abuja by SARS. She was tortured, raped and killed in cold blood.

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad is a Nigerian Police Force unit under the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department headed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Anthony Ogbizi. Since 2012, SARS has come under controversy for being linked to acts of extortion, torture, framing and blackmail.

SARS HISTORY

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was founded in 1992 by former police commissioner Simeon Danladi Midenda. The major reason SARS was formed when Col. Rindam, a Nigerian Army Colonel was killed by police officers at a checkpoint in Lagos.

When the information reached the army, soldiers were dispatched into the streets of Lagos in search of any police officer. The Nigerian police withdrew from checkpoints, security areas and other points of interest for criminals, some police officers were said to have resigned while others fled for their lives. Due to the absence of police for two weeks crime rate increased and SARS was formed with only 15 officers operating in the shadows without knowledge of the army while monitoring police radio chatters.

Due to the existence of already established three anti-robbery squad which was operational at that time, Midenda needed to distinguish his squad from the already existing teams. Midenda named his team Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). After months of dialogue, the Nigerian Army and the Nigeria Police Force came to an understanding and official police duties began again in Lagos. The SARS unit was officially commissioned[when?] in Lagos following a ceasefire by the army after settlement.

SARS is one of the 14 units in the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department which was established to detain, investigate and prosecute people involved in crimes like armed robbery, kidnapping and other forms of crimes.

Other SARS Brutalities

On 10 August 2019, while SARS operatives were on a raid in Ijegun to arrest kidnappers in the area, operatives of the unit fired several shots in a bid to subdue the kidnappers and during the course of action a stray bullet hit a pregnant woman, she reportedly died on the spot. An angry mob was said to have lynched two police officers on the spot.

On 21 August 2019, four SARS operatives were arrested and charged with murder after being caught on film manhandling and then shooting to death two suspected phone thieves in broad daylight. The two suspected phone thieves were shot dead after they had been arrested.

On 5 September 2019, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Lekki, Lagos allegedly kidnapped, tortured and robbed Nigerian rapper Ikechukwu Onunaku. According to publications by Punch Nigeria the rapper was forced to make several withdrawals at the ATM to pay SARS operatives for doing nothing.

Presidency’s Attempt to Reform SARS

On 14 August, 2018 the Acting President of Nigeria Yemi Osinbajo ordered with immediate effect the “Overhaul” of the controversial police unit SARS following reports of human rights violation. The acting president ordered the then Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Kpotun Idris to reform SARS as well as carrying out an independent investigation after “persistent complaints and reports” that concerns human rights violation.

After the order, the IGP announced that the unit would be renamed to Federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad, a new head of the unit would be appointed and also the provision of human rights desk officers to check reports.

On 21 January 2019, IGP Mohammed Adamu ordered the immediate decentralization of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad. The SARS unit was centralized from the force headquarters in Abuja since its inception, the IGP also stated that the DIG of Force Criminal Investigations Department and Commissioners of Police in each state would be held accountable for actions of the SARS.

However, recent incidents have shown that the SARS as are more brute and reckless and Nigerians, particularly youths have risen to the challenge in calling for an end to SARS’s impunity.