Of #EndSARS and saboteurs


“The security of this nation is not negotiable” – President Muhammadu.
I begin with the above statement over the ongoing protests by some unscrupulous Nigerians who are echoing on streets demanding and calling the  federal government to end the properly organized and well equipped State Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).
Yeah, it’s democratic to protest when government’s decision seems to be too tough for the masses but our actions towards the matter seems to be insolent to some extent.  The situation is going out of control leading to destruction of properties and killing of innocent people.


How can a country like Nigeria experiencing security challenge of various forms and its citizens will match in the streets and be demanding government to scrap some agencies if not sabotage? Almost every part of this nation is having insecurity menace in one way or the other; we need to be  welcoming every security innovation our government initiates instead of condemning them.
They said SARS men are brutal and abuse citizens’ right. So, ask the protesters, are they not criminals because all we believe is that, if you are not a criminal/offender you have no business with police talk less of calling for their scrapping.


What the unscrupulous Nigerians are agitating now is unwelcome because the level of hardship people are going through over unprecedented insecurity challenge can’t be over emphasized, ranging from armed banditry, Boko Haram, farmers and herdsmen clashes, communal clashes, among others. Additionally, to my greatest surprise, upon all these menace, still the bad eggs among us are calling for their scrapping instead of urging the government to empower them with necessary equipment to deal with the aforementioned matters. The reason behind SARS introduction in the first place was to curtail crime and its related menace and now that they are doing better some of us are against them just because they don’t want a peaceful Nigeria to be achieved. If one could recall vividly in 2003 and 2007 there were numerous challenges of insecurity almost everywhere in Nigeria; giving an instance with Bauchi which had issue of “Sarasuka”, Gombe “Kalare”, Kano and Jigawa “Yandaba”, Plateau, Benue and Kwara “Aroboys”, Kaduna “Yangunda”, Lagos, Niger Delta, Enugu, Osun, and Akwa Ibom were having “Areaboys,” among others, which after SARS introduction such crimes had been reduced to the minimal level.Nigeria as a nation needs to have a special trained police unit like SARS that can deal with the activities of those boys disrupting the nation’s peace. Therefore, SARS is needed in Nigeria. 

The protesters should let government take necessary steps suitable to the masses or ask the unit to correct its services and still allow the Nigeria Police Force to make new provisions of how SARS will be operating and not ending thier operations.
Additionally, SARS is a welcome development in Nigeria no matter how brutal they are as they said, but should not be banned, considering the nation’s insecurity challenges. All we know is that SARS officials may only come your way if found wanting or look suspicious of any criminal acts.


Therefore, most of the protesters leading the ongoing protest are either criminals or hired by the bad elements to distrupt the fragile peaceful and conducive atmosphere we are enjoying.
They are criminals indeed,  because the development recorded so far in  the last six years of their initiation cannot be over emphasized, then how comes criminals or people with zero tolerance on security of lives and property of our dear citzens will be agitating to scrap any section of security upon all the security menace bedevilling the nation if not selfish interest?
Therefore, we are not in support of those men and condemn the meaningless act and please those behind it should understand that playing politics with security is inhumane and government should let the protesters to know that the security of this nation is not negotiable.They should stop the political nonsense because the protection of lives and property of our dear citizens rest upon the government’s shoulder. So allow the government to provide the security not you.


On a final note, we have them on the balls now, let’s use it wisely. Tune down the protest, if possible, call it off entirely. Give the government a time frame to implement the demands and then draw recommendations moving forward because it is turning to chaos in some states.
Rabiu writes from Toro local government area, Bauchi state.

Leave a Reply