#justics

The FSARS (Federal Special Anti Robbery Squad) also known as SARS emerged in 1984 as a specialised response to an epidemic of violent crime like kidnapping and robbing, but critics say it has since become the very element it hoped to dispel. The citizens of Nigeria took to the streets in Africa's most populous country, which is home to 206 million people with the sought of disbanding the Special Anti Robbery Squad for killing, extorting and harassing its citizens.

Why the protest?

The protesters argue that SARS initially deterred violent criminals, but over time rights groups have documented a growing pool of allegations against the unit.

Some of these allege links between SARS officers and the deaths of those it investigated.

A June report released by Amnesty International documented at least 82 cases of extra-judicial execution, torture and ill-treatment between 2017 and 2020 alone.

The government earlier in 2017 disbanded the force unit after petitions against the force started to raise serious concerns in the country but unfortunately for some of the citizen the SARS unit surfaces the next year and the year after. 

Now decentralised groups of Nigerian protesters have now taken to the street to take charge and efforts to disband the unit.

Many of those who have turned out against the unit are disaffected young adults who also feel failed by poor job prospects, schooling and faulty infrastructure.

One of the alleged victim, 23-year-old Miracle, came forward to Amnesty about his brutal treatment by SARS personnel in 2017.He told the organisation he remained in their custody for 40 days on accusations of stealing a laptop before he faced a court.

Miracle said "They started using all manner of items to beat me, including machetes, sticks, inflicting me with all kinds of injuries.

"One of the officers used an exhaust pipe to hit me on my teeth, breaking my teeth. I was left on that hanger for more than three hours."

Recently protesters have achieved some limited success, as The President Muhammadu Buhari has committed to cutting the unit.

The youth decided to give the president their 5 point agenda.