We are citizens

More than a year ago, I wrote (with tears in my eyes) on the issue of brutality, ruthlessness and inhumanness of men of SARS in the Eastern, Western and Southern parts of Nigeria, excluding the Northern part of Nigeria. I am not being sectional here. I am just stating it as it is. It seems SARS was set up to terrorize and exploit Igbo and Yoruba folks. If not, why is it that it is taking like eternity to either truly reform or end it?

I was of the opinion then that SARS should not be scrapped, but reformed, but a year after, we are back to where we were. Now, I am of the view that those who have been entrusted with the responsibility of reforming the unit that is drawing blood, tears and money from the helpless and voiceless Nigerians are incapable of doing what our people want, hence the ongoing and unavoidable protests to force the hands of our politicians to end SARS.

You said you set something up to protect Nigerians, but same unit is killing, maiming and defrauding our people of their legitimate cash, in a nation where most of our people cannot feed themselves twice in a day. Does this make any sense? Also, if you said you set SARS up for our people and they are collectively saying that they do not want SARS again, then why is it hard for you to scrap it neat? And if you do not want to end it, kindly draft men of SARS to Borno state!

Since all the peaceful protests to end SARS started a few days ago, photographs of corpses and harassment of our people are everywhere on social media. This is so sad. How free are we as a nation when our people cannot freely protest peacefully in order to get what they want done? And why do people protest? It is because they know that—that’s the only language those in the corridors of power understand. Ours cannot be said to be a compos-mentis-nation when people are treated like slaves and animals during protests.
Also, I wonder why policemen are always happy to either harass or shoot harmless people during peaceful protests. I am talking about peaceful protests here! If we cannot abide by the tenets and canons of democracy, then we should throw it into the rubbish-dust-bin of nation building. It is evil to gag our people in their own country, especially when they are governed as they have always been governed since the birth of Nigeria. Nigerians travel everywhere and they are not treated inhumanly as they are being treated at home. This needs to stop, so we do not heat-up the polity unnecessarily.

For the umpteenth time, it is lawless and evil to shoot those protesting peacefully. If our policemen and soldiers do not know, we need to drum it into their ears that peaceful protests is one of the constitutional rights of our people and no one is allowed to take it from them. Those who shoot them are the enemies of the state, not those protesting against injustice and lackluster leadership. Coming out to protest does not mean they hate whoever is in power. Even when Nigeria becomes better than she is right now, our people will still be coming out to protest against whatever they do not like. If you cannot tolerate this, then stay in your village and do not you come out to campaign that you want to lead our people. No administration is too important not to be protested against!

Why do politicians and policemen hate and detest our people so much in this nation? Politicians hate those they have sworn to serve, deliberately not doing things that are going to move our people forward in life. Also, “NPF” hates those they are being paid to protect, treating them as slaves in their own country. Fellow Nigerians, why is it that love is completely non-existent in our dear country? Why do we hate ourselves this much? To bring love back to Nigeria, those in the corridors of power will need to pioneer it. Remember, what is lacking in the corridors of power cannot be found on our streets.

As I begin to coast home, I read about the story of a young man who was going to his place of work with his laptop. He was stopped by men of SARS. He showed them his identity card, but identifying himself was not sufficient for those who have purposed in their hearts to turn our people to slaves in their country. I never believed that a day like this would come in the history of Nigeria.

He was pushed into their vehicle and was taken away and he ended up being detained—for being law-abiding. And being under duress and coercion, he was made to write what he did not do and he ended up parting with a hundred thousand naira! For the umpteenth time, he was arrested, not because he was a thief. He was arrested not because he was a terrorist. He was arrested not because he was into cybercrime. But he was arrested because he was a law-abiding citizen of Nigeria, going to his place of work!

Social media is currently being littered with gory stories from Nigerians who are living beyond our shores. Many of them are now saying that they are afraid to come home, because of men of SARS! Once they see that you have semblance of being comfortable, then you become their target. Those who are supposed to be fighting all kinds of crimes are now creating them. This is quite unfortunate.
Lastly, we cannot afford to treat SARS as an isolated case in a nation that is currently not working. As you are protesting peacefully—which is not against the constitution of our country, you need to understand that a unit like SARS cannot work when other aspects of our national life are not working. We need to end SARS, but we need to peacefully and strongly demand that Nigeria be reformed.

“El-Rufai’s report on restructuring” is gathering dust on baba’s table. PMB should be compelled to do the needful.