It has been quiet on social media about the brutal attacks and injustice against Nigerian youth from the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Unit of the Nigerian Police Force (SARS). Rest assured that the chaos has not ended, and there are issues still at hand. Femi Magazine interviews Stanley Onuegbu, an influential and youngest award-winning cinematographer from Anambra State in Nigeria. He has decided to join the fight against SARS to eventually seek “A better and highly disciplined new SARS operational system.”
How important is it for you to join the fight against the cruel and unusual punishment by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad Unit of the Nigerian Police Force (SARS) against Nigerian youths?
It is a matter of Nigerian youths’ future if they kill all the leaders of tomorrow due to misconducts of the Nigerian police force or SARS, who then will be the leaders in question.
When SARS was created in the 90s, it responded to the wave of crime in areas like Lagos and Abuja. Provide us with a timeline of events between the 90s, which has caused such anger and frustration against the police?
I might assure you of giving any narration of these states you mentioned, but I will talk about my state of origin, Anambra State, precisely. In Anambra, it has been a no-go area when we think of the security of lives and properties. In the early 90s, it was in a state of horror due to its high crime rate. But the introduction of SARS and intervention of the incumbent Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano, was able to curb crime in the state when he came into power. Before, people stay in other states to carry out special occasions of their lives, like traditional marriage ceremonies, weddings, birthdays, community meetings, and coronations, why because of insecurity and fear of being kidnapped by men of the underworld, as it were then the order of the day. But the issue that prompted the anger and frustration against the SARS was power abuse, intimidation of different kinds of citizens.
People started using SARS officials to collect debts from their debtors, which often leads to individuals’ brutality due to the debt in question. SARS started treating domestic affairs rather than the crime, which was their primary duty. SARS started settling family issues and sometimes end up maltreating any member of the family found guilty, which often leads to a victim’s death.
What are your thoughts on SARS, and what tactics do you think it will take to bring justice and peace amongst the people in Nigeria?
SARS should be reformed. Before recruiting anyone into that unit of the Nigerian police force should be made to go through a thorough psychological check to know if they are mentally balanced to do the job. Also, I think SARS should be more diplomatic in carrying out their duties, not necessarily unruly and brutal approach to issues or arising suspected criminal cases unless an issue of confirmed crime, possession of illegal arms, and severe criminal cases.
What was once a system created to minimize severe crimes turned into a crime against its citizens of Nigeria. People worldwide have watched the brutalization against Nigeria’s youth and have shared the content throughout social media to make others more aware. Many have stepped in to help, Nigerian citizens have protested, and now influential people have stepped in to address the issues further and help protest against the injustice.
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