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The Special Anti-Theft Squad (SARS) is a branch of the Nigerian police force under the Criminal Force’s intelligence and investigation department (FCIID). SARS was created as a faceless police unit that conducts covert operations against crimes associated with armed robbery, carjacking, kidnapping, cattle theft, and crimes associated with firearms.
SARS has been reported to have perpetrated human rights abuses, illegal arrests and searches, illegal arrests and detentions, extrajudicial executions, sexual harassment of women and brutality on many young Nigerians. Therefore. The #ENDSARS was started by Jack Robinson.
In 2017, according to Awosanya actively took on the campaign on social media alongside other activists, which later culminated in various advocates and protests against police brutality and the elimination of this unit.
According to the 2016 Amnesty International report, SARS is held responsible for human rights abuses, cruelty, degrading treatment of Nigerians in its custody and other widespread torture. Between January 2017 and May 2020, SARS resolved 82 cases of abuses and extrajudicial executions. (Amnesty International, 2020 publication).
Now the big question is; ‘Isn’t there a quasi-SARS in almost every country in Africa and the world?’
If we are truly passionate about ending illegal police brutalities, abuses and killings; Why don’t we adopt the #ENDSARS protest as a continental and global fight and duly replicate the fight in almost every country, to put an end to these illegalities and save the lives of our own people?
In Ghana, many people, especially journalists, have been victims of various forms of police brutality. Furthermore, there are several suspects in the cases, who have been physically abused, victimized and tortured in various ways by police personnel.
Don’t these amount to being under a SARS regimen?
Latif Iddrisu, a Ghanaian television journalist for the privately owned radio station JOYFM was beaten up by a group of police officers at the headquarters of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Accra on March 27, 2018.
Furthermore, the case of Corporal Lance Frederick Amanor, who assaulted a woman at the Shiashi branch of Midlands Savings, cannot be forgotten.
In addition, the Ghanaian police fired warning shots to break up a demonstration against police brutality in West Africa and arrested Mr. Ernesto Yeboah, leader of the Economic Fighters League (EEF).
In total, some 20 people died in Ghana from police brutality in 2018, excluding those who suffered varying degrees of injuries from such brutalities.
I think you will understand by now that the #ENDSARS protest is not a Nigerian fight. This should also be a fight of Ghanaians and several other citizens.
In South Africa, The Guardian reports that incidents of police brutality skyrocketed by 312℅ from 2011 to 2012 compared to 2001 to 2002. There were also 720 deaths in police custody due to police action from 2011 to 2012.
In Bangladesh, the police killed a man named Shamim Reja at the Sonargaon Police Station.
During the Bersih protests in Malaysia, Malaysian police attacked protesters and killed one. The Malaysian police also punish prisoners for a number of crimes, including robbery, drug trafficking and sexual abuse.
The situation is no different in Turkey, as they have a history of police brutality, including the use of torture, especially between 1977 and 2002. In 2012, several officials were sentenced to prison for their role in the death in custody of the political activist . No priming.
Furthermore, in Austria, Nicola Jevremovic, a Roma Serb, tried to pay a friend’s parking fine and was harassed by the police on April 24, 1996.
The United States of America has built a notorious reputation for police brutality cases, having reported far more incidents of homicides by police officers than the rest of the Western world. The American police killed 1,093 people in 2016 and 1,146 in 2015. One of those cases that cannot be ignored is the murder of George Floyd, an unarmed African American who was killed in broad daylight by police in the American city. of Minneapolis. on May 25, 2020.
The above analysis in no way necessarily seeks to clarify the victims of abuse or wrongdoing. Furthermore, I do not intend to improperly blame the police officers or downplay their lives or their rights to self-protection, in relation to the particular incidents.
However, I contend that the level of policing in most countries in the world has somehow not been overly professional or up to par in most of the cases mentioned above.
Therefore, this reinforces the fact that the #ENDSARS protest is not necessarily a Nigerian fight but a global fight. Therefore, citizens around the world must come forward to demand proper restructuring and reform in relation to the police in our various countries. Thus ending the outbreaks of brutality and violence inflicted by police forces on innocent citizens.
The fact that your country does not necessarily have a unit called SARS does not mean that it is free from the atrocities and illegalities committed by the police forces. World leaders must help end these oppressive policing practices in a lasting way.
To begin with, we must attach special importance to the training of our police forces. There must be very strict recruiting and training for them so that they are up to date with modern problems and problems that they are likely to face in the line of duty. This will better prepare them to effectively handle and deal with violent climactic situations and protests.
In addition, police forces must be trained in the laws of their various countries. They must practice and walk in the laws. This will allow them to better differentiate the legal and illegal operations of citizens. There knowing how to effectively deal with such backwardness in law.
The Police Force must see citizens as partners and friends, but not as enemies. I know most of you know. The problem is that it has stayed on your lips. They do not put this saying into practice. If they see the citizens, who they are supposed to protect; as friends, there will be cooperation and crime will be easily crushed.
Finally, countries must begin to clamp down and deal effectively with police officers who illegally brutalize innocent citizens. Despite all the aforementioned brutalities, most of these police officers freely roam their countries. It is very sad!
This situation will only make police brutalities persist. We must start waving the whip against violent police brutalities because the problems are becoming too many.
NANA OSEI BOATENG
(POLITICAL SCIENTIST, JOURNALIST / COMMUNICATOR, EDUCATOR)
References
“More police brutality.” The Puppet Show Vol 2 no 27. September 9, 1848. P.14
Locke, Hubert G. (1966-1967). “Boards of review of police brutality and civilians: a second look.” 44. J. Urb. L .: 625.
“Police brutality on the rise in South Africa: officers accused of killing and raping citizens” October 1, 2015.
“Police brutality and corruption on the rise.” Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Accessed May 21, 2016. Et al…
