#End SARS Protests: One Year After, What Has Changed?

Eddy Odivwri

True to their promise, the youths, last Wednesday, trooped out in their numbers, especially in Lagos and Abuja to mark the one year anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, despite the strong police warning to the contrary. The Lagos Police Commissioner, Akeem Odumosu had modified his earlier warning that the protest must not take place at all. By Tuesday night, he has shifted a little—to say car procession will be allowed but that there will be no stopping at any point to address either the crowd or make any speech.

Across board, the Police were yet talking tough, almost seeming to say they learnt nothing (in terms of relating with the people) from the wild protests of last year.

Do the police not know that the right to protest is inalienable? What many thought would happen is to see a friendlier police force that has obviously learnt a thing or two from the #EndSARS protests, which was essentially a protest against the brutality of the Police force.

The concern of many Nigerians is to assess whether or not the Police have changed from their evil ways after that national opprobrium against them last year.

Perhaps the harassment may have stopped on the streets. But there is yet a standing suspicion between the Police and the youths.

Too often, the police still believe any young man or lady driving in a luxury or modern car is simply a “Yahoo-Yahoo Boy” or “Yahoo-Yahoo girl”.

Yes, mindless and arbitrary arrest of young men, simply because they wear dread-lock hairs may have stopped, the Police are yet to believe that there are legitimate and genuine hardworking young men and women in Nigeria.

The Police are still in the business of extorting money from Nigerians on the highways. Some could be so desperate and even escort offenders to an ATM machine to make withdrawals for them.

I cannot readily say anything has changed, save the harassment on the streets. Even when they hang bold posters on the walls of police stations that Bail is Free, they still collect huge amounts for bail, no matter how trivial or heavy the offence is. The heavier the offence, the heavier the cost of Bail. As the French would say, Rien Change!

Sadly, what Nigerians have gained in reduced police harassment is now being lost to the charged viciousness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)— a co-efficient of the police force– which seems to be ridiculously chasing after every big spender in town. The joke was made recently of a man threatening to report his neighbor to the EFCC for daring to buy four tins of Sardine at a go, as it is deemed over spending and that the person is likely to be a money launderer

The way and manner of arrest of some of the protesters, last Wednesday clearly suggests that not much was learnt from the protests of last year in which 56 police officers were attacked and killed, with 132 police stations destroyed and burnt across the nation. Some of such police stations have not been rebuilt.

A protester was granting interview to a TV House and he was arrested. What is the offence in granting an interview, when you did not even bother to check or hear what is being said? Some journalists were molested and harassed. Others were arrested and later released.

The Police, at almost all times, betray poor orientation and a strong proclivity to abuse their powers.

The Police have a duty to protect protesters and ensure they remain peaceful. But quite often, the police, in the name of hoodlums’ tendency to hijack public protests, deny Nigerians the right to protest.

It is the failure to do this that resulted in the heavy traffic gridlock that Lagosians experienced last Wednesday, especially around the Lekki tollgate, the epicenter of the protest last year.

Yes, it is true that hoodlums and miscreants often crash into protesters and sometimes either turn it into orgy of violence or turn it to opportunity to loot. Yet, the police have an abiding duty to ensure that such hoodlums are kept at bay from peaceful protesters by ensuring that genuine protesters are given the cover they require from the police.

It is instructive that many of the judicial panels set up across the country to review cases of police brutality and even wanton killings have wound up their sittings. The Lagos panel recently wound up its sitting. It is not certain yet what their recommendations are. However, lots of damages and compensations have been awarded and recommended. What is not sure is whether concerned persons have complied with the verdict and order of the Judicial panels.

Nothing will assuage the nerves of those whose loved ones were killed unjustly. What has happened to those killer policemen? Are they still in the Force? Would they be sanctioned and prosecuted? Nigerians want to know. Unless and until such firm actions are taken against those who abused the privileges of being a police officer, it would appear that nothing has been learnt from the #EndSARS saga.

Indeed, many of the tales narrated by the victims of police brutality and wanton killings are as vexatious as they are tear-evoking. The memories are still fresh and bitter. Those who lost their loved ones are bound to feel eternally bad and nurse a hatred for the police force.

Surely, the police have not weaned itself of the excesses that give it a bad name and image.

In all, the federal government should concern itself with the issues that triggered the wild protests, many of which are still plaguing the Nigerian Youths. Perhaps the biggest of them all is the lack of employment opportunities. Nothing is as frustrating as having obtained requisite education and literally just sit down “wasting” at home. Both the young man or lady and his or her parents cannot be happy. Despicable as it may be, I dare say that it is the absence of legitimate employment opportunities for the teeming Nigerian youths that is fueling the so-called Yahoo-Yahoo tendencies. Nigerian youths are not lazy. They are energetic, creative and determined to work and earn decent living. Government should not only provide jobs, they should also create the enabling environment that can meaningfully engage the youths, the fabled hope and leaders of tomorrow.

From Goronyo to Owerri, the Killings Continue

Eddy Odivwri

I think the federal government has literally drawn the line on the ground for these so-called bandits and if they dare cross the line, they will meet their waterloo.

Which line has been drawn? When and where was it drawn and by who?

Are you not aware that the federal government has sworn that the killing of over 43 persons at the Goronyo market in Sokoto State is the very last? You didn’t hear the stern warning of the Federal Government against the bandits who just stormed the market and shot sporadically, unprovoked, and killed the said 43 poor persons right on the market ground?

Mr President was so deeply angry that he has sworn now that such dastardly act will not be tolerated again and that it is the very last outing of the bandits.

Really? So, Mr President is really that angry? So, what if another killing happens? What will he do? Will he join the soldiers to comb the Sokoto forests, the dwelling place of the bandits? Hey, how many times has the presidency given such empty threats and nothing happened? Or are you saying that this is the first time the presidency has issued such empty threats and the killings continued and nobody said anything?

And, come on, was it not after such harsh threat that the killing of Imo monarchs took place last Tuesday? Or was the threat and warning only for the bandits in the north west?

What was the offence of the Imo State monarchs who gathered to meet and discuss the issues besetting them, including security concerns, as to warrant gunmen storming the venue of the meeting and again, shooting sporadically into the midst of the monarch and killing two or three of them? Between last Tuesday when the dastardly act took place and today, what action has been taken to rein in the gunmen?

The Security agents are working on the cases. They will surely live no stone unturned in an attempt to arrest those behind the mindless and ungodly killing of innocent traders and monarchs. Just wait. Very soon, you will hear that those goons have been arrested and they will face the wrath of the law.

I can assure you that the security agents will not see any stone at all, let alone leave it unturned.

That is not fair. Our security agents are good at uncovering crimes and their perpetrators. Trust me, you’d soon hear they all have been nabbed, both those mindless killers in Goronyo market and the disgruntled killers in Owerri. They all will soon have their day with the laws of the land.

Well, the worry is that we have heard all such promises countless times in the past, without corresponding actions and experiences.

Don’t forget there is a new sheriff in town.

Which Sheriff, which town?

Don’t you know there is a new Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Lucky Irabor with a new set of service chiefs, all working round the clock to crush the security menace in the country? Haven’t you seen the effect of their works?

Is it people who have been appointed far more than a year ago that you are calling new sheriffs? Come on, sit down and calculate the number of persons that have been killed by bandits, Boko Haram, kidnappers and other violent criminals since these your new sheriffs came to town and you will see that not much has changed.

That’s very unkind. You should acknowledge that so much has been done. Yes, so much remains undone, but indeed, the security situation has greatly improved. Just early this week, over 50 bandits were killed by the military troops in Kaduna, with the aid of the Nigerian Airforce. Or did you not hear that the dreaded Abubakar Shekau, the Boko Haram leader was killed last May? That over eight thousand Boko Haram members have repented and surrendered to the federal troops? Do you think it is a joke? Don’t you know it is because the terrorists are seeing that the fire on them this time is not like before, hence they are surrendering? Imagine the Boko Haram fighting force losing 8,000 men, is that not the end of that battalion? If you are honest and observant, you will acknowledge that the activities of the Boko Haram members have drastically reduced in recent times. And that is the work of the new sheriff in town, whether you admit it or not.

Boko Haram, depopulated, then Bandits lionized, and all leading to more and more deaths. Whether the death is caused by Boko Haram, or by bandits or even by the ubiquitous “unknown gunmen”, all die na die! Too much blood is yet flowing on the streets. We are terrified as a people. That is the point we are making.

You can be sure that the team that is fast neutralizing the Boko Haram squad will also and surely banish the bandits from our land and also rein in all violent criminals of any type and hue. Trust me. All that is required is some patience and more importantly the co-operation of all. Valid information should be given to the security agencies and in no time, all such criminals will, ALL, I repeat, ALL, be smoked out of their holes, no matter how deep.

With the TUCANO fighter jets, the end of the criminals is near, provided America should withdraw those silly conditions for the use of the TUCANO fighter jets.

So, if the new sheriffs are going to depend on the ‘bloody civilians’ to get information on where the criminals in town are hiding, what then is the role of the Intelligence Agencies, like the DSS, DMI, and all such secret police formations? Where have they been? Where were they before the bandits planned the Goronyo attacks? Where were they before the unknown gunmen planned the Owerri attack on monarchs? Where were they before all the atrocities in town have been happening?

And pray, why is America giving conditions on how and when to use the TUCANO fighter jets? Didn’t we fully pay for the jets? If yes, what then is their business on how we use it to fight our enemies? How can they sell a goat and refuse to release the rope by which the goat was tied? Or would it not be a shame that even after spending so much to buy the TUCANO fighter jets, that we are still being ravaged by low-brained criminals?

All hands must be on deck. And let us believe that all shall be well with Nigeria.