HOW LOOKING SHOWY MADE NIGERIAN YOUTHS TARGETS FOR SARS VIOLENCE

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SARS (Special Anti Robbery Squad) is a defunct department in the Nigeria Police Force under the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID). The squad was created as a faceless police unit that performs undercover operations against crimes associated with armed robbery, car snatching, kidnapping, and crimes associated with firearms. 

SARS in many locations throughout Nigeria is infamous for the victimization of innocent citizens in order to allegedly enrich themselves. The SARS operatives have also been accused of human right abuses, illegal stops and searches, illegal arrests and detentions, extrajudicial killings, sexual harassment of women and brutalizing of many young Nigerians, and there is no doubt as to the truth of these allegations, as over the years this operatives have been witnessed against and caught on tape perpetrating this acts.

The proverbial last straw for Nigerians was the continuous killings and brutalization of young people for the singular act of "looking good". Looking a particular way or carrying a particular item could mean being tagged by SARS operatives as a ''yahoo boy'', a term used to describe illicit online scammers in Nigeria, and hence an excuse for them to met out their own brand of “justice’’.

So how can your appearance get you the unwanted attention of SARS operatives? 

How can looking showy in Nigeria lead to you being tagged a criminal? And hence be a target for SARS violence.

Let's look at a few absurd situations where you could be harassed in Nigeria for being too "showy" in Nigeria,

CARRYING A LAPTOP:

Sounds funny right? Sadly its more than true. Carrying a laptop as a student, business person, or for office work has proved handy and of great importance in today's digital world but sadly so is its importance for fraudulent activities, a fact SARS operatives have been quick to capitalize on. Individuals in possession of a laptop (males specifically) especially in public places are seen as online scammers.

And the probability of being harassed is quite high and happens more than often.

 

FASHION SENSE (DREADLOCKS, EAR PIERCING, TINTED HAIR, BEARDS, ETC.):

It is appalling that having a particular fashion sense or choosing to look a particular way can be the reason you get beaten or shot on the streets. 

And in the eyes of SARS operatives a guy with any of the aforementioned looks can be tagged a thief or scammer, numerous sources have been reported of individuals being brutalized for no other reason than their choice of appearance.

Keeping something as common as a beard has allegedly been reported to bring about harassment from SARS and still the link between Fashion and crime is one that eludes us when it comes to them.

 

MOBILE PHONES:

Mobile phones, yes! That marvelous piece of tech many of us are presently using to access this blog post.

 A simple law has been attached to it,

The more expensive your phone, the bigger the trouble you are in. 

Specific brands of phone, especially the Iphones have been tagged as to expensive for a law abiding citizen (youths) of Nigeria to own, so if you’re caught by SARS operatives with an Iphone it is immediately assumed that you got it through fraudulent means and suddenly you are at their mercy.

You might be subjected to anything from having said phone confiscated or your privacy evaded.

 

OWNING/DRIVING AN "EXPENSIVE" CAR:

A video surfaced of an interview with a SARS leader, who allegedly said that, it raises suspicion for a young Nigerian to ride a car worth seven million and above...  

Although not an entirely unfounded suspicion, it is still sad that young people in Nigeria are belittled, we forget that we have young people with startups worth millions of Naira in Nigeria. There also those who through various online Jobs have earned and are still earning in the high six figures. 

Several young individuals have been victimized, brutalized, and have faced terrors at the hands of the SARS operatives cause they rode or own an expensive car.


And like we said before these suspicions are not unfounded, there are many fraudulent individuals who drive expensive cars, use expensive phones and accessories. But the problem still remains deeply rooted on the manner in which people are investigated, harassed and even killed without following due process.

And worst still these are just a few things in the list of ridiculous things the SARS operatives use to harass victimize and traumatize not just the young but the old and every well meaning Nigerian citizen.


And it is due to this inhumane actions that the youths have decided to take a stand and put an end once and for all to the machinations of the so called SARS, using the #EndSARS they have embarked on a nationwide protest to not only end SARS but to put an end to all forms of police brutality in Nigeria.

Latest developments have the Federal Government disbanding the SARS unit and putting a new unit in place, SWAT(Special Weapons and Tactics), Something most Nigerians feel is a re-branding of the SARS unit, and want scraped as well.

With cries of End SARS! End SWAT! End police Brutality! Reform the police! End Bad Governance! And many more, we are calling on all Nigerians to unite their voices to bring forth the change we need.

And let's not forget that because your loved ones are safe today doesn't mean they'll be safe tomorrow, no one is exempted, so join in the fight for change.

Don't forget why we fight, it's not for politicians, or celebrities, or money, or acclaim but for the future of you and your loved ones.

 

KEEP ROARING!

 

 KEEP UP THE STRUGGLE!

 

#EndPoliceBrutality #ENDSARS #ENDSWAT

 

                                                                                      By Joseph_cjc

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