Kunle Adelabu
It was a massive turnout of youths in Ikorodu on Saturday, October 10, 2020, as residents trooped out enmasse to stage the Ikorodu phase of the ongoing nationwide protest against the Special Anti – Robbery Squad, popularly called SARS.
Young men, both boys and girls, started arriving at the Itamaga take – off point of the #EndSARSNow protest around 7. 00am and later matched around major streets in Ikorodu.
Qudus ‘Qdot’ Alagbe, a popular music act, Olatunji, one of the protest organizers , Mayowa, another music act known as ‘Clench’, Adedeji Fatuga, founder of the Ikorodu Ambassadors Group, DJ Kalakuta among others led thousands of youths as they from Itamaga through Awolowo Way – Ota –Ona, Alhaji Street – Itunmoja – Sabo road – Shagamu – Ikorodu garage roundabout – Ayangbure road – Ikorodu Local Government Secretariat and terminated at the Ipakodo Police Station which is the headquarters of SARS in Ikorodu Division.
Many of the protesters carried placards with inscriptions such as , “Say No to SARS”, “#EndSARS”, “Am I the next victim to Die?” and “End to Police brutality and justice for victims”, among many others.
The DPO of Ikorodu Divisional Headquarters, Mr A. Balogun who was fully on ground with his men, was seen with the leaderS of the protest from the beginning of the protest to the end and ensured that the protest was not hijacked by hoodlums.
Security officers had a difficult time controlling the traffic and ensuring that the protest went smoothly.
Speaking with Qdot Alagbe, who sat on the roof of a Lexus jeep carrying a protest banner with the inscription, “Am I next to die?”, said that protesters are not happy with SARS and that they want the government to ban the anti robbery squad.
“We are not happy and we are protesting because we want the government to hear our voice. SARS officers are killing the youths which is very wrong and today, we are protesting peacefully.
“Government should end SARS now. We don’t want them again!”
Olatunji, one of the organizers of the protest, stated that they trooped out for the protest in order bring an end to the operations of SARS before their activities provoke violent resistance from the public.
“The protest is actually everywhere now and the simple message that we are passing across is that we don’t want violence, trouble and war. Ikorodu is already a flash point for the security men and we don’t want the SARS issue to add to it.
“We want an end to SARS now before it escalates to what the government will not be able to control. End it now please!”.
Rasheed Adedeji Fatuga, the founder of The Ikorodu Ambassadors Group, who carried a banner with the inscription, “#EndSARS Now”, said that the protest is the Ikorodu phase of the #EndSARS protests across the country.
“This protest is about the killings by SARS officers. They torture people and extort them at will and also kill them. It’s happening in Ikorodu because it is happening everywhere in the country and Ikorodu must send its own signal”, Fatuga said.
Mayowa ‘Clench’, in his own reaction during an interview with THE IMPACT during the protest, said that SARS is treating citizens like criminals and killing without provocation.
“We don’t want SARS, not for anything but the fact that we are not criminals and SARS are treating us as such. There are ways to handle a given situation, but not by shooting and killing the youths. We are protesting because we want an end to SARS and an end to killings.
“We know they are security officers but we don’t want them to kill us anymore and that’s why we are protesting against SARS”.
Dominic Olowu, one of the organisers of the protest, also stated that SARS has killed many innocent people and extorted others and as a result, there is need to end it.
“What we are fighting for is that we want the government to end SARS. SARS officers have killed a lot of people and committed a lot of crimes and extra judicial killings against the youths.
“We need to do something about it and here we are lending our voices and showing that we are united against SARS.
“SARS officers are using guns bought with taxpayers’ money to kill people and it has to stop”.
Mary Butel, a female resident of Ikorodu, in her own reaction, stated that:
“We are protesting because the killings have been going on for a long time and innocent people are being killed. They come every day to extort people and harass them. We want an end to SARS in Nigeria.
“I do not want them to kill my brothers. That is why I am part of this protest”, she lamented.
Ayokanmi Jaiye, a resident of Ebute in Ikorodu, also stated that:
“We have had a lot of cases involving SARS in Ikorodu. Just last week, I was stopped and after searching my phone and did not find anything on me, they demanded for money to set me free because they later accused me of not using face mask on my bike.
“Killings and harassment by SARS have to stop. Government should end SARS permanently.
“SARS officers are supposed to go after high profile robbery cases but they have turned into money – making ventures for their bosses and themselves.
Michael Agbara, a resident of Ikorodu, also stated that:
“I expect the government to take action against SARS. We want them to stop police brutality. We don’t want that again.
“We don’t want SARS again and the police must be reformed”, he said.
Adeolu Michael, one of the protesters, also said that:
“The Nigerian youths are expecting the government to ban SARS. We are not kidnappers, terrorists and armed robbers. Nigerian youths work very hard to earn something to feed themselves but at the end of the day, we fall victim to these people called SARS.
“They usually kidnap us and forced us to withdraw huge amount of money in order to bail ourselves.
“We don’t want them again and we are calling on the President to ban them”, he demanded.
