Osaretin Erins would not forget memories of Thursday, September 5, 2019, in a hurry.
A poultry farmer and businessman, the 35-year-old man had gone to a roasted meat joint in the Abule-Egba area of Lagos along the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway around 10pm in company with his friend, Raymond, a corps member., they dashed into a Hyundai Sonata driven by Erins, eager to get home and devour the meat.
“They forced me to empty my account balance. This is Nigeria where police have turned to midnight thieves. It is really heartbreaking considering the fact that we are law-abiding citizens. Nigeria is heading towards a state of anarchy and turmoil if all these continue by FSARS and police. I am really heartbroken,” he lamented.
That timeline elapsed on September 3 without any feedback to Nigerians about the implementation. Rather, the sad, odd tales surrounding the conduct of the operatives thrive on as more innocent Nigerians fall victims to SARS extortion and harassment. “Let me tell you now straight up, I don’t care who you are if you are rolling solo in this town and SARS get you, day or night; if they get your phone, it’s over for you. They don’t have names or numbers on their uniforms.
A software developer, Tony Astro, was torn between fear and bewilderment on September 20, two weeks after the implementation modalities of reforming SARS were supposed to be ready as President Buhari promised. “They said I was going with them to the station. And I was like, what station? Next thing, they pointed guns at my leg, telling me to enter another bike they stopped and go with them to their station. I entered and one of the men asked for N1m and he’d let me go.
“And I was like N500,000? From where? I said my student ID card was in my wallet, you could check it and see. They said they would not check any ID card. They went through my emails andAfter all the drama, they reportedly asked him to go to the nearest ATM point and withdraw N15, 000 from his account balance before his belongings would be released.
“While trying to know my offence, I received another hit of the gun which I blocked with my hand. Even while bleeding, I was dragged into the Hilux van like a criminal. They were about taking me and some other people they have arrested to their station at Ikeja. Most of the people were released because they finally dropped money for them and even those who were not with cash used the ATM.
Three months after a 29-year-old bank worker, Adeyemi Ilesanmi, reported some SARS officers to the police authorities, justice has yet to come to him. He said, “I am based in Akure, Ondo State, and I travelled to Lagos for the purpose of the visa interview which was slated for June 10. I spent the night in Obalende and as early as 6.30 am, I took a tricycle to Victoria Island. As soon as I alighted from the tricycle, I was apprehended by the SARS men.
“Eventually, one of them called me aside and said he knew how important the appointment was to me and that I should not jeopardise my chance at the embassy. He asked how much I had and I told him N2,000.” He stated, “I have been following up on the case. I have called the IPO several times. I have stopped calling him because I am tired. Two months ago, Inspector Albert told me on the phone that he was in charge of the case. He said he was calling from X-Squad in Abuja. I was surprised that a case that happened in Lagos is being treated in Abuja.
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