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ABUJA LOCKDOWN: A LIVING HELL

We have  little or no  electricity suppl y here, no running water in the houses; w e don't have money to buy food any more... Read more ...

czwartek, 10 lutego 2022

Happy Idiaru, the oldest Kingsley's son.

 




I want to introduce to you a young boy, Happy, the oldest Kingsley's son. Happy is 16 years old and lives in Nigeria, Edo State, Benin City. 


Happy's dream like every other Nigerian young boy or girl is to be able to break out of the shackle and limitations placed by nature on them or man made with regards to the bad policies of the ruling class. 


It is the dream of every young child to move to the city like Lagos or be a Doctor, Engineer, lawyer or a football star or musician.  Happy had such dreams. But for the rich kids, this is a tough journey not to mention a poor young kid from the slums and ghetto of Nigeria. 


As a student, you can wake up by 5am in the morning, do the house chores and trek to the stream to fetch water to bath and trek about 10km to and from school daily. 


No free education in Nigeria. parents have to pay for everything and the high rate of inflation isn't helping matters. you can buy a notebook 80 leaves for 1 PLN today and in 3 days time, it is 2.5PLN. 


The dream of every Nigerian child is to be a self reliant citizen but the bad leadership of the country is making things harder. killing dreams of youngsters and making us settle for less. 


Happy will sometimes close from school, walk the long distance back home on a hungry stomach and find nothing to eat at home, this is the reality of the average Nigeria child. As a child, we assist our parents after the close of school. We carry trail on our head and hawk tomatoes, pepper and other vegetables in the streets just to be able to generate a little token for food hence we die of hunger and starvation. Our parents are trying their best, we as the kids have to contribute our quota to the home. So we grow up with  responsibilities even as kids.


You can ask how does he spend his free time. Well..., unfortunatelly there is no cinemas, pubs, disco parties, video games for such a child. Maybe only sometimes, when there is electricity in the house, he can watch TV, but it lasts no more than an hour a day. 


Instead of the entertaintemt he has duties. He spends all days after school in the house store helping to sell some goods, some crops from the fields or little items his mother bought in the cheaper place. This is the necessary condition of buyinga little food for the next day  to provide even one meal a day for the family members.When he is alone in there he can read his books to prepare to next day school or to sit an exam.


And Happy has three younger brothers. He must be very responsible now when his father is in Poland, not earning much but trying to save his leg and restore his health instead. 


Happy's day is full of responsibilities then, but even that he is always smiled and kind and laughs aloud when he hears something funny. 

piątek, 30 października 2020

#EndSARS vol.8 - IT WAS NEVER MORE DANGEROUS TO BE A POLICEMAN HERE


An interview with Idemudia Osarobo - A Police Officer in Lagos, 42 years old.



#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020
vol. 8





IT WAS NEVER MORE DANGEROUS TO BE A POLICEMAN HERE 




CECYLIA BUCZKO:
Is all the Police Force corrupt as the people say?



IDEMUDIA OSAROBO: 

I am a policeman serving in Lagos State Command, I have been working here several years now. This is totally not true, not all the police are bad or accept bribes. Not all the police are brutal. But the truth is that some of us make mistakes. And now we are judged by people by the example of the ones who behave indecently. 


How should a Policeman behave?


My uniform is my honour. Everyone of us needs to fulfil the vow we took while starting our duty that we will serve the nation and the country. It is unacceptable to take any bribes or spread violence. If anyone does so he is an animal in a uniform, doesn’t deserve to wear it. 


Who provides the Nigerian police with training?


Well, there are the police colleges and the police academy and the trainings are directed from the command headquarters. There are also in-service training schools for special teams like the Mobile Police and not only Nigerians but also Israel prepare our recruits for their future work. I want to assure you that all police officers have to be trained very well. But the reality is that policemen are not well paid, the institution also lack enough officers on duty and they don't have all the necessary equipment and other facilities. These lacks are some of the reasons they go wrong sometimes. 


What is youir comment on the twit posted by Kate Osamor on 29th October, 2020 about the UK engagement in training your SARS team?


Nigeria was under British control before gaining independence in 1960, but even now they have some influence in our country. So I think it is possible there are some special programmes which our special teams of the police can attend and maybe it is for our benefit. I have never served in SARS or any other special team of the police so I don't know much about the way they are trained, it was never done to the full glare of the public.


#EndSARS protest
(BBC)

How were you involved in #EndSARS protests?


We just had to keep it in control to avoid any violence. At the beginning the campaigns were peaceful, people just sang and gave testimonies, walked through the streets with the placards. But a few days later the protest became violent, it was hijacked by mobs and resulted in mayhem. 


How did the protest turn into violence?


This all started on Sunday 18th October. All we the policemen were given an order to try to keep the protests safe and avoid any violence. But it got impossible to control when the protest was hijacked by mobs. They were hiding among the protesters and after they started to riot some protesters followed them, as they were emotionally exhausted. The violence and killing started, attacking the police stations, destroying cars. And many of the police were killed or badly wounded. 


The police stations and prisoners are reported to be attacked by the protesters. Is that true? 


Yes, it became very dangerous to go to work now. I can’t run as I was shot in the leg in the past during my duty and I also didn’t want to be forced to fire anyone now. I have respect for each human life, I won't take a part in any political plays. That’s why I refused to go to work when the protest spread all around Lagos. I didn’t want to be killed by the mobs who attacked from everywhere out of the crowd of protesters. I wanted to live for my children and my wife. Work in the police is very hard and not safe. If I am killed the government won’t pay even a single naira to my family as a refund and they would die of hunger. All I want is just move out somewhere and find a safe job. This country is impossible to live in. 


Did the police fire the protesters? 


The police didn’t get any official order to fire people. I have been staying at home till now but I heard a lot from my colleagues. They said some of the police started to fire shots in the air to disperse protesters, but they didn’t get any order to fire protesters. But the truth is some of them made a mistake. In time the level of violence drastically went up. The hoodlums started to fire the uniform men so here and there some fighting and shooting happened. To be honest nobody knows who was shooting whom. Our authorities said it might be some miscreants who killed people here and there. 


Who was responsible for firing the protesters then? 


The only one who was shooting the protesters were the army but their leadership officially denied doing so in the Lekki area and in other places. No wonder, people got angrier more and more. And now the mobs and some desperate protesters who got emotionally involved too much are killing the policemen that can be seen outside. 


How to avoid violence? 


We ourselves can do nothing, we need God intervention, only God is our saviour. Our government doesn’t take care of us and we won’t get any help from them.


There were reports that police transported hoodlums by the police cars. Is it true?


The violence was spread by the mobs among whom some guys got the police uniforms. There were some photos on the Internet showing mobs in police cars but the comments below were nothing but an interpretation of what could have happened… It was just easy to say the police had helped them.


#EndSARS protest
(Channel TV, Head Topics Nigeria)


Do you want to say the protest was hijacked by bandits?


Don’t you see? The protest itself was used not only by hoodlums. Not only was it hijacked but also was used by the Internet users spreading misinformation online. I don’t deny protesters telling the truth, but I am afraid the histories told by people attending the protest were changed a little because people started adding misleading information to posted photos, maybe in a good intention to make a point of what happened, so all the protest reports became less factual. But it was still widespread and became globally famous, because information repeated by people after other people became catchy like gossip and caught all the world’s attention. Unfortunately nobody checked the information carefully, people just shared them. 


Did you expect the president to comply with the protesters’ request?


22nd October the President addressed the nation and promised to fulfil most of the protesters demands, like to change the country standard of living, and raise our salaries. But I don’t believe them at all. It is a failed government and the president who doesn’t take care of his people. 


So don’t you expect the president to resign? It was also one of the protesters’ demands.


You know, African presidents are not humans. They will never resign, never let the younger ones rule. They are ready to die in their seats. It is only the Western world that you can see a president resign.


What was exactly the protest’s proceedings?


I will summarise it for you. The campaigns were run in the biggest cities in the country. The worst happened in Lagos, but also Abuja, Edo, Delta and Ondo States were involved.


What happened in Lagos? 


On Monday 19th October hoodlums destroyed police trucks in the Yaba area of Lagos and attacked the uniform men. The mobs also made the roadblocks and assaulted motorists demanding them to pay a fee. 

20th October thugs set fire to a police station in Orile district in Lagos state as a part of the widespread protests against police brutality. Probably, there were officers inside the building. The violence escalated to a high level which resulted in schools shutting down in Lagos State and the government announcing the curfew in Lagos. 

On the same day later in the night the massacre at the Lekki toll gate happened and soon some shopping malls were set on fire. 

Two days later the Lagos high court was set ablaze in the result of vandals’ looting who took away some goods which the court confiscated earlier. The building was set on fire like a torch in the night. Also people could hear gunshots in the city and tyres were seen burning somewhere. 

Also 22nd October there was an attempt to break another prison in Lagos, but the army and the police foiled this. So far 69 people have been killed which includes 7 soldiers and 11 police officers. However the army and the police force denied they fired protesters. Now we experience the 48 curfew in Lagos. 


What about Edo State and in Delta and Ondo States? 


19th October. Two police stations were attacked by hoodlums in Edo state who burnt cars, stole guns and broke into prisons letting the prisoners go out. As a result the government declared a curfew there. One important thing we should note is that; none of the video footage showed peaceful protesters going inside the prison or even attempting to break the gate. We could only see inmates jumping from the fence of the prisons and some passing through the gate. This made us curious as to who actually let the inmates out of the prison? Delta State and Ondo State Prisons were attacked and the inmates escaped too.


How the police managed to control the protest in Abuja?


I don’t know much as I don’t live there. But there are some gossips that the police let the armed thugs attack unarmed protesters which resulted in destroying a few cars and the death of three people. But I think if it is unproven it is just gossip.


#EndSARS protest
The high court building on Lagos Island after seting fired (BBC)

Will the people face any consequences because of the #EndSARS protest? 


Yes they will I am afraid. Now because of the destructions of the Police facilities and the killings of many innocent policemen, the Nigerian police and army announced that it will be impossible to guarantee people's security during Christmas and New Year period in areas worst affected by EndSARS protests in Southern part of the country. Everyone will have to protect themselves and their families from hoodlums. One of the participants who attended the meeting of law-enforcement officers said; “In these ember months and up to Christmas period and the New Year, I doubt if any of the security services can guarantee maximum security as usual. There is no way we can discharge our statutory responsibilities and functions when we have become soft targets of miscreants and violent persons.” Full information you can find here.



The previous parts of the article you can read here:


Written by: Cecylia Buczko

Cecylia Buczko
Cecylia Buczko


#EndSARS vol.7 - OUR GOVERNMENT KILLS US – THE MASSACRE AT THE LEKKI TOLL GATE IN LAGOS


An interview with Tunde Akanbi - 38 years old farmer


#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020 
vol. 7

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OUR GOVERNMENT KILLS US – THE MASSACRE AT THE LEKKI TOLL GATE IN LAGOS




CECYLIA BUCZKO:
Was it safe to attend the protest?



TUNDE AKANBI: 

At the beginning it was very safe. After a week of protests the Nigerian army has issued a warning to end campaigns in order to avoid any troubles. Also the government stated that the protests in Abuja were not safe according to the need of keeping social distancing during the coronavirus pandemic which simply suggested that the campaigns were illegal. 


Was the coronavirus the only danger which threatened you?


Sadly not. Later somehow everything started to go wrong. First the protest was hijacked by hoodlums and the riots started. Then there were some attacks on police stations and government places. On 20th October the curfew in Lagos was declared. And on that day exactly, just two hours after the curfew began the worst happened and people were shot by the uniform men. As a matter of fact, the violence, killing of Police and burning of Police stations started after the military opened fire on peaceful protesters on the 20th October. It was that singular act that triggered the violence amongst protesters and the government seized the opportunity to involve hoodlums and their political thugs to cause more unrest in the society. This makes it possible for the government to label the peaceful protesters as bad and as a yardstick for the military to start killing unarmed civilians. 


How did it come?


The protesters blocked the Lekki toll gate in Lagos to make it impossible for cars to use the motorway. It was still just a part of a peaceful protest, nobody wanted any troubles. By some time all the lights were turned off and it got totally dark. People stood there or sat on the ground wrapped in the green and white national Nigeria flags. To unite and show their engagement they started to sing the national anthem. And then, unexpectedly, they were fired by the platoon of several armed men. It was a shock for protesters who intended to run a peaceful protest. 


#EndSARS protest
The protesters at the Lagos Lekki toll gate (Lailasnews.com)


Did anybody died during the fire?


Dozens or so of people were hit and the chaos started within the crowd as peaceful protesters were running for safety, while others were calling for help. Some of them were taken to the hospital, but some died there. Their bodies were lying on the ground covered in green and white flags stained with blood. 


Who shot the protesters? 


It is unclear who opened fire. Of course the Nigerian army, the police and the Nigerian government denied being responsible for that massacre. But all the world got known about what happened, the videos and pictures are around the world shared on Facebook and Twitter. 


What was the result of the protesters killings?


That day changed everything and also the protest totally changed. The curfew was introduced in several states and the protesters started to act in grievance full of regret towards the government who, in their opinion, betrayed them. People feel sold out and ask themselves: who was behind the massacre in Lekki? Every next day of the ongoing protest was marked with a new postulate – make the Nigerian president to resign and make the Nigerian government to end bad country ruling and improve poor economic conditions. It was no longer just a protest, it felt like a war. And it became terrifying. 


Did your government explain who was responsible for shooting the protesters?


On 22nd October at exactly 19:00, the Nigerian President addressed the nation via a live broadcast to end the protest and promised to verify the police work (SARS was already ended) and consider the social changes. But he didn’t mention the shooting carried out by the military on protesters in Lagos which led to global condemnation and criticism. The speech was more like a threat to the citizens rather than an appeal.


What was the protesters reaction?


This made us so disappointed and regretful. All our effort, all the protest, it seemed to be a vain bid. But even so we were still at our posts and the protest is still carried on. It has already changed our country, I mean the people's awareness of what is important here and that we young people really care for our country. Never before had we had such a loud voice as we have it now in social media all around the world. We pray the changes would come and our government would start to upgrade our country and make it safe to live here for us and our children.


#EndSARS protest
Wounded at the Lekki toll gate in Lagos (REUTERS)

The other parts of the article you can read here:

#EndSARS vol.6 - THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS STRONGER THAN THE PEOPLE IN POWER


An interview with Kenneth Asuenimen - 26 years old graduate of Biochemistry (Unemployed)


#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020 
vol. 6

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THE POWER OF THE PEOPLE IS STRONGER THAN THE PEOPLE IN POWER



CECYLIA BUCZKO:
The symbol of what is the #EndSARS protest?



KENNETH ASUENIMEN: 

It is a sign of the largest young population in Africa having been woken up. The generation who is calling for reform of their country which hasn’t had good governance yet since getting the independence 60 years ago. The EndSARS protesters are people with awakened vision and drive for a better motherland that we can be proud of. We have come to realise that; ‘’HOW CAN NIGERIA BE SO RICH IN NATURAL RESOURCES AND YET VERY POOR IN TERMS OF INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT AND BASIC AMENITIES?’’


Soon after the protests started your president promised to end SARS. Didn’t you consider to stop the protests?


We carried out our protest despite the president’s announcement about SARS disbandment. We simply couldn’t believe him, we were sure, the SARS is still deployed on their posts in the roads. Later we got to know that the SARS unit was dissolved and the officers assigned to other units within the Police Force. As if that was not enough, the Inspector General of Police came out and said he had formed a new unit called SWAT: ‘’The Special Weapons and Tactics team.’’How would we have hope that they wouldn’t brutalise us like SARS did? We wanted to protest against not only SARS but all the police brutality and call for justice of those ones who killed or tortured our brothers and sisters. In a sane country, the government wouldn’t wait for the citizens to protest against SARS killing of innocent people before coming on air to address the issue. So we weren’t convinced at all hence we continued the protest peacefully.



#EndSARS protest
(Reuters)


Were there other postulates aside from ending SARS?


Yes, the demonstrations against SARS turned against the bad social politic and a bad government. There were many postulates to call for. Most of us young people have never experienced steady electricity in our lives, we didn’t have free education and had to struggle a lot to finish our universities. Having a better life was just a part of our demands. I was so engaged and I really wanted to fight for a better Nigeria. I don’t want my kids to endure and suffer the economic hardship of this country due to bad governmental policies and looting of our common wealth. So as a youth, we were motivated by that to demand change for a better Nigeria. Our parents failed to fight for their human rights and rights as a citizen of Nigeria that is why we are still suffering today. So we must change that for the generation unborn.


Did you feel the government wants to hear from you?


There is a lot of mistrust between the protesters and the government here in Nigeria, we simply don’t trust them. That’s why nobody believes in their empty words. But all the government said gave us the impression that they were listening to us, even to a small degree, so maybe they are under the pressure of the protests. We realised it was also a great way to impose our government to make good changes in the country, make good roads, stop poverty, raise the public salaries. There is so much to correct and improve. 


What do you expect from the government to do?


We young people dream about nothing but living in a safe and good Nigeria. I want to live in a country where nobody kills you on the road and the police are to make you feel safe – not terrified, where the electricity is always on and you don’t have an impression your country was civilizational far beyond all the world… So with such postulates the campaigns are still carried on and I am a part of it. I want better Nigeria for me and my children.


#EndSARS protest
(BBC)


The other parts of the article you can read here:

Written by: Cecylia Buczko

Cecylia Buczko
Cecylia Buczko


#EndSARS vol.5 - HOW THE PEACEFUL PROTEST WAS HIJACKED BY HOODLUMS


An interview with Ahmed Yusuf - 25 years old student of agriculture


#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020 
vol. 5

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HOW THE PEACEFUL PROTEST WAS HIJACKED BY HOODLUMS



CECYLIA BUCZKO: 
Why did you attend the protest?




AHMED YUSUF: 


I love my country but I am not happy with the government, that’s why I attended the protest. It seemed we: as a large group of protesters, had power to get some changes.

Were there any results of the protest?


10th October president Buhari ensured the nation that he wanted to reform the police force and put into justice each police officer who abused their power. Also the SARS were banned from setting up the roadblocks and stopping cars and searching people. They were obliged to wear uniforms. The Inspector General of the police promised that the unit was to be investigated.

Weren’t you satisfied with what the President announced?


We just didn’t believe him. That’s only an empty promise as always. They tried to do this in the past without any result. That’s why we wanted the SARS unit of the Nigeria Police Force not to be reformed, but to be disbanded and dissolved.


#EndSARS protest

Uniform men fired the protesters in the commercial hub of Lagos (EPA)


How much was your involvement in the campaign?


We were very engaged in the protest, it inflamed our emotions. We identified ourselves with all the young people in Nigeria who were wrongly profiled by the SARS as the criminals or scammers and sentenced to prison or even killed. We heard many testimonies of people who were hurt or whose family members were killed. We were fully engaged until the protest was hijacked by mobs. Then things just started going bad.

How did it happen?


I am sure our authorities sponsored the armed thugs to promote violence during the campaigns. We were outraged – it was clear that after brutally assaulting some policemen, their police stations or destroying the cars, the government was going to send the military to quell the protests. And they would be totally justified. And this just happened.

Did your government command the army to fire the protest?


Yes, they did. First young protesters were fired at the Lagos Lekki toll gate on the night 20th October and just a day later uniformed soldiers and the police started to shoot several protesters in the commercial hub of Lagos and the shopping centre was ablazed.

Did anyone react?


Some politicians and celebrities all around the world have condemned the shooting as a crime and as an act against humanitarian action, they addressed the president to stop killing youths and it was really nice. We felt a little conformed.

Did you continue taking part in the protest?


No, I didn’t. After hijacking the protest by hoodlums and some acts of violence here and there I lost track of the importance of the protest. I just didn’t want to attend any act of ferocity. I didn’t want to be a part of what we were protesting against – the brutality – the same we hated so much in the SARS behavior. The protesters were organised as peaceful and hopeful for the future of their country. But sadly this is no more.


#EndSARS protest
Protesters in Lagos built barricades, blocking roads in Nigeria’s commercial hub (REUTERS)



Cecylia Buczko, #EndSARS protest
Cecylia Buczko


#EndSARS vol.4 - HAVING WHITE FRIENDS MAKES YOU A SCAMMER


An interview with Ideye Rachid - 29 years old water vendor


#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020 
vol. 4

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HAVING WHITE FRIENDS MAKES YOU A SCAMMER



CECYLIA BUCZKO: 
How possible is SARS to stop your car when you're travelling?



IDEYE RACHID: 

Mind you, is it enough reason for you to be arrested unlawfully if SARS sees you in a car driving, and they will take it for granted that you live beyond your means. Then they will harass you and extort money from you threatening you unless you pay. If not, they will arrest you as an internet scammer. We all young people pay the tribute of our lives for the statistics which claim that most of the young people in Nigeria are lazy, they don’t want to work and instead they want to get easy money to scam people. A government that criticises his youth and speaks badly of them, is that a good government? Nigeria youths are the hardest set of individuals. Even with the bad economic policies we still strive to be innovative and work hard to meet daily targets. We do all manner of menial jobs to survive.


Who are the Internet scammers?


They don’t do any regular work, just stay at home and spend all day talking with people online. They look for a person abroad whom they try to make friends with and then tight the bonds gradually. And later start asking for money at the excuses of travelling to Europe to work hard, the hospital treatment, paying the education fee, etc. And all of this is just a part of a fake life of a scammer, who thanks to money people sent him can afford to buy a good smartphone or laptop or even a car.


#EndSARS protest
(Channels TV)


Is owning an electronic device or a car an offence?


Not really but it is just enough to be arrested by SARS who just take it for sure that such a person is a fraudster. And you know, I have friends in Europe who I have known for quite a long time. So always when I am travelling I have to delete all the conversations with them. I just keep it in my mind and in my heart but deleting them always makes me sad. However if I have another alternative I would have used it other than deleting conversations with friends abroad. Even if they see the photo of a white man or woman in your phone, they would tag you a fraudster. It is that bad.


I assume your conversations are private. Aren't they?


Look, this is always bad when the SARS stop your car. They are armed, so you can’t object to giving them your smartphone if they demand this. You can’t refuse unless you want to be beaten or arrested or even killed. They check your conversations in all the social media, they read what you write to others. If they found any conversations with white people, any photos of them, they would arrest you on a charge of being a cyber-criminal even if none of the conversations is deceitful.


Is this just a way used by SARS to select the criminals in your country?


Do you think the real scammers don’t delete their conversations? They are even more careful. The way SARS treats us is unjust and brutal. I know there are many fraudsters in my country but I am not one of them, I am not a Yahoo-Boy(as famously called in Nigeria.) But I have to keep all the means of precaution if I want to be free and alive. It is so sad. How would you feel if you had to delete your conversations or photos with friends who are close to you?


#EndSARS protest
(EPA)


The other parts of the article you can read here:


Written by: Cecylia Buczko

Cecylia Buczko, #EndSARS
Cecylia Buczko


czwartek, 29 października 2020

#EndSARS vol.3 - AN UNIFORM DOESN’T MAKE YOU A GOOD SOLDIER


An interview with James Ochuko - 34 years old graduate of civil engineering (unemployed)


#EndSARS campaign of the Nigerian youths
A paceful protest or a civil rebellion?
October 2020
vol. 3

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vol.1 vol.2 vol.3 vol.4 vol.5 vol.6 vol.7 vol.8




A UNIFORM DOESN’T MAKE YOU A GOOD SOLDIER




CECYLIA BUCZKO:
What does a uniform mean for you?



JAMES OCHUKO: 

A uniform is a symbol of good behaviour, isn’t it? A man who wears a uniform should be an example for others, we learn this while attending the scouts group as children. Meanwhile the Nigerian police have a very bad reputation, especially the SARS.


Do you mean SARS bring disgrace to their uniforms?


They hardly ever wear it, you rather see them dressed like bandits on the road. But yes, they do, when it comes to their behaviour... They are famous for not respecting people, showing brutality, forcing bribes. But these are only the slightest accusations. Many people report unjust arrests by SARS, torturing people, beating or shooting their fellow passengers.


#EndSARS protest
(The Sun Nigeria)


Why are the young people unjustly arrested by SARS?


There is a high rate of unemployment in Nigeria. Most of the young people don’t have a permanent job so they are especially liable to be arrested by SARS who are looking for the cyber-criminals. It is a commonly spread image of a Nigerian fraudster who makes their living by scamming naïve white people talking with them via the Internet and asking them to send money.


Don’t you agree the cyber-criminals should be arrested?


I totally agree they should be but it is unacceptable to treat each young person as they were villains, that's a totally wrong attitude. We young people often face the Police, SARS especially, controlling us and arresting only because of slight details which seem to be suspicious for them. But once we are arrested, even if we prove our innocence, it is getting very difficult for us to get out of their hands and everything just gets hectic.


Is it not enough to release you when there is no evidence of you being a fraudster? 


Sadly not. When they can’t find any proof to detain us they start forcing us to pay a bribe to be freed, they are even capable of using violence, threatening and torturing included, even killing…. That’s how some uniform men behave here. This is unacceptable…. That’s why most of the protesters are the young people. They feel not safe in their country and are bound and determined to make our government end SARS.


#EndSARS protest
(Twitter - look here)


The other parts of the article you can read here:


Written by: Cecylia Buczko

#EndSARS protest
Cecylia Buczko