From Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
The Chairman Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Anambra State Chief Damian Ogene has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to hold public hearing and town hall meeting in all the states of federation on the activities of Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)
He said that the town hall meeting and/or public hearing would enable the people to air their views about the activities of SARS and proffer solution for the good of the helpless masses and ordinary people in the society.
Ogene while speaking on the youths protest march in support of SARS last week in Anambra urged the IGP to listen to the people’s outcry against SARS and should look into the formation.
“My advise to the federal government is that they should listen to the people, in fact we need public hearing on the activities of SARS for the IG to know exactly what is he’s doing. They should also organize town hall nettings in every state where people can state their positions about the activities of SARS.
It would not benefit much to sponsor and pay some youths to protest in favour of SARS. Such protests smack of cover-up and desperation and shows that the Nigeria Police is not ready to listen to complaints of Nigerians and solve the SARS problem.
“In as much as we must give it to the police for the security in Anambra State, things are not too bad in the state but what we are talking about is extortion, police toll gates everywhere. At the last election we saw that the average Anambra man is not criminal minded as people thought, whatever is happening here sometime is the people living with us, the election showed you no violence, no killing, it was purely free and fair because it was Anambra affair but when it comes to any other thing, anything goes.”
“The human rights groups are not complaining about the SARS in Anambra State alone but the SARS in the federation, it is a police formation, it is a police organization you must allow IG to do his job, and do the right thing. The IG must look into his formation, if it is not leaking in Anambra it can be leaking anywhere and it is general opinion that SARS should be reduced, called to order and work within the laws that respect the rights of Nigerians. Even Nigeria laws being trimmed down, why can’t SARS be.”
“The solidarity march for SARS to be was a sponsored project and if I were the Inspector General of Police, I should discipline those in charge of SARS for such thing because they encouraged such solidarity march because if they don’t encourage it will not happen. We support the IG for reorganization of SARS. And it is the same youths who complain about the activities of the SARS, how they intimidate and harass them.”
