Some youths, under the aegis of the Gavel, a non-governmental organisation, yesterday protested the recent directive given by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu to operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.
Recall that On Sunday, the IGP banned operatives, especially the federal special anti-robbery squad (FSARS), the special tactical squad (STS) and intelligence response team (IRT) from routine patroling, indiscriminate searching of suspects phones, laptops or other devices.
His directive was necessitated by the public outrage, over the incessant and indiscriminate killings of young Nigerians
The Youths stormed the Lagos State Police Command headquarters in Ikeja yesterday, to reject the IGP’s directive, demanding the outright scrapping of the unit.
The protesters chanted solidarity songs and displayed placards with different inscriptions such as, ‘#END SARS NOW’, ‘I AM NOT A CRIMINAL #ENDSARS’, ‘Bullets At Us’, #Say No To Police Brutality’, ‘Am I Next To Die?’
They went on to mount a tent close to the command headquarters, vowing that they would continue to sleep there until their demands were met.
A protester, Olorunrinu Oduala, who spoke to newsmen noted that they plan to hold the protest for three days.
She said they can no longer sleep at home because their homes were no longer safe.
She said, “We want an end to SARS. The IG released a statement that was publicised on Twitter and we have been seeing statements like that in the last five years. So, we are saying no. This protest is a reaction to the cry of Nigerian youths. We set up a group and some people voluntarily joined and came out today without being paid.
“We are coming out because we are tired of being harassed by SARS men; we are speaking out to show our grievances to the government. We are protesting for three days and we are going to sleep over at the police command headquarters, because our homes are not safe anymore.
Oduala noted that they had already being addressed by the police commissioner, but their demands have not been met yet, adding that they would be going to the Lagos State House of Assembly tomorrow (Thursday).
Another protester, Temitope Majekodunmi, who said they were rejecting the move by the IG to reform SARS, said the protest commenced around 8am.
