Pulse Nigeria is the most followed news and entertainment platform, informing and engaging young Nigerians round the clock, providing updates by the hour.

Pulse Nigeria

<strong>Circa 2006, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was formed to combat robbery in Nigeria - it worked.</strong>

#EndSARS: What exactly is the status of SARS? | Pulse Nigeria

Motolani Alake

<h1>The idea was premised upon the Operation Sweep, formed by former Lagos State Military Administrator, Colonel Buba Marwa around 1997. The same was also recreated in Ibadan, Oyo State under the name Operation Gbale.</h1>

<p>Around 2009, SARS found its way into Nigerian Universities as a medium to repress the surge of internet fraud and cultism which had spilled to the streets. This era also coincided with the <a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/world/fashion-mogul-berges-radical-chic-library-goes-on-sale/zpmnc84">r</a>adicalism of style and fashion evolution amongst Nigerians under 35.</p>

<p>What SARS became was a national scourge that a witch-hunt machinery against Nigerian youth with dreadlocks, piercings, cars, expensive phones and risque means of expression. This led to the #EndSARS campaign, against the constant abuse of office by SARS operatives.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Since <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndSARS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndSARS</a> is trending again 😕. I decided to bring this back to the TL. Hope we don&#39;t go back to the dark days 😔🙁 <a href="https://t.co/kvImF88CY6">pic.twitter.com/kvImF88CY6</a></p>&mdash; www.KRAKS.co (@KraksTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/KraksTV/status/1087433633022005254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

<p>Daily, we hear terrible tales of exploitation of Nigerian youths by SARS operatives. These youths also give in because they don't want to risk time behind bars. The Federal Government ignored Nigerian youths for a while before they finally gave in after years of clamour - at least, it looked like that.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ</strong>: <a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/freeyinkabadmus-sars-lives-and-victim-profiling-problems/qdhvvy4">Victim profiling in Nigeria</a></p>

<p>On August 14, 2018, then acting president, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, in a statement issued by Osinbajo's spokesperson, <strong>Laolu Akande</strong>, the Acting President ordered the IGP to shut down the unit "<em>with immediate effect</em>".</p>

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo ordered the immediate overhaul of SARS on August 14, 2018

<p>The statement read, "<em>Following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) that border on allegations of human rights violations, His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN, Acting-President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, has directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.</em></p>

<p><em>"The Acting President has also directed the IGP to ensure that all operatives in the emerging unit conduct their operations in strict adherence to the rule of law and with due regard to International Humanitarian Law and the constitutionally guaranteed rights of suspects. The operatives should also bear proper identification any time they are on duty.</em></p>

<p><em>"In the meantime, the Acting President has directed the National Human Rights Commission to set up a Committee that will conduct nation-wide investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS in order to afford members of the general public the opportunity to present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress.</em>"</p>

<p>Noting that the body could only be rehabilitated and not scrapped, the Vice President saw that SARS was rebranded under the FSARS name, to be handled by the office of the Inspector General of Police.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So SARS is now back to being SARS, not FSARS anymore. SARS is no longer under the IG’s office, the commissioners of police now control them. Basically back to what it was before the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndSARS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndSARS</a> campaign. One step forward, 2 steps backward. Nigeria.</p>&mdash; Chidi Okereke (@Chydee) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chydee/status/1087399139422466050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">This is nothing but a Trojan Horse. FSARS is not disbanded as contrived but simply drafted under the Police Commissioners. Same folks ordering Policemen to abduct your wards for ransom. They have more powers now. This will not stand. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndSARS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndSARS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReformPoliceNG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ReformPoliceNG</a></p>&mdash; SEGA L&#39;éveilleur® (@segalink) <a href="https://twitter.com/segalink/status/1087342269731168257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

<p>On January 21, 2018, news filtered in that FSARS was disbanded, but people claimed it was only going back to being SARS under state leadership and not the Inspector General of Police's office.</p>

<p>With the news came outrage that what we fought for had been taken away; our peace gone and a sense of betrayal initiated - we senselessly praised Vice President <strong>Osinbajo </strong>for restructuring SARS.</p>

<h2>Initially, after the restructuring...</h2>

<p>SARS became quiet and heroes were made of <strong>Segun Awosanya </strong>aka <strong>Segalink </strong>and figures like rap legend, <strong>Ruggedman </strong>who were vocal people in the struggle to #EndSARS.</p>

<p>SARS went quiet and people went happy, celebration filled social media and people praised the seeming strategic decision to #EndSARS by <strong>Vice President</strong> <strong>Yemi Osinbajo.</strong></p>

<p>But the problem with SARS has never been about the organization. The idea of SARS and the corruption perpetuated by it has always been done by the men behind the movement.</p>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The headline about FSARS being disbanded is a product of lazy journalism. Disregard it. The IGP has just returned FSARS back to states police commands and placing it under the control of States Police Commissioners. Bad news <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EndSARS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#EndSARS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ReformPoliceNG?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ReformPoliceNG</a></p>&mdash; Great Oracle Extraordinary &amp; Plenipotentiary (@AbdulMahmud01) <a href="https://twitter.com/AbdulMahmud01/status/1087337281327955968?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

<div class="embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If the men in this picture are actually men of the Federal SARS, then we have a problem on our hands. <br><br>Security operatives all over the world look responsible. <br><br>Give these men uniforms, name tags &amp; branded police vehicles. <br><br>Any criminal can dress like this. <a href="https://twitter.com/PoliceNG?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PoliceNG</a> <a href="https://t.co/bnWznmrxU3">pic.twitter.com/bnWznmrxU3</a></p>&mdash; Adeda (@tosinadeda) <a href="https://twitter.com/tosinadeda/status/1019201748320378881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

</div>

<p>The idea of restructuring SARS after months of accruing complaints on denigration of Nigerian Youth at the hands of SARS operatives always seemed shady.</p>

<p>You cannot change the organization if the men remain in the body, alive and breathing. The name might be gone, but the idea was always going to remain. It becomes worse.</p>

<p>On the other part, the 'restructuring' of SARS never seemed a permanent solution to the problem we had - SARS.</p>

Yinka Badmus, the Nigerian photographer reportedly arrested for having dreadlocks.

Police-Reveals-Why-Photojournalist-Yinka-Badmus-Was-Arrested-640x431.jpg

<p>The Nigerian Police Force was already a corrupt organization, abusing power and office at will and for sport, but the story of SARS had been overshadowing their shady dealings.</p>

<p>With the restructuring of SARS and not a complete disbandment and other forms of affirmative action to shelve the continued abuse of office and power, and internalized corruption as well as oppression of Nigerian youths.</p>

<p>The problem was always going to persist and it was never going away as long as the men behind SARS remained steadfast within the breaches of Nigerian security operations.</p>

<p>It was always a problem that was going to fester. It has since been exemplified in the case of <a href="https://www.pulse.ng/news/local/freeyinkabadmus-yinka-badmus-has-reportedly-been-released/wzgw2t5">Yinka Badmus.</a></p>

<p>The problem has always been the people, not just the name. We shouldn't have celebrated the news like we did.</p>

<p>The problem was never going away if the people behind SARS and who gave SARS that reputation were not laid off or granted leave for serious affirmative action to stop the abuse of office and power.</p>

<p>Now, SARS might have been restructured, but inevitably, we still have SARS-problems - nothing has changed.</p>

<p>Until we fix the problem with the people who constituted SARS and find a way to understand the era of avant-garde expressionism we live in, with totally no relations to irresponsibility - unless proven otherwise - there will more Yinka Badmuses.</p>

Presidential Panel on SARS receives 103 complaints – NHRC boss

#EndSARS: What exactly is the status of SARS?

Pulse Picks

Business

News

Entertainment

Lifestyle

Politics

Local

Metro

World

News 

Celebrities

Music

Movies

Fashion

Beauty & Health

Relationships & Weddings

Food & Travel

Domestic

International 

Sports 

Celebrity Picks

Pulse Marketing

Explore categories

Influencer Awards

Company Pages

Breaking News & Top Stories | Pulse Nigeria

Video

Checkout our authors for the latest content across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Nigeria 

Authors | Pulse Nigeria

| Pulse Nigeria

Read the latest news across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Nigeria

Search for the latest content across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Nigeria

Search Results | Pulse Nigeria

Watch the latest videos across entertainment, sports, business and more. Be first to receive exclusive updates with your free subscription straight to your phone | Pulse Nigeria