SARS: A Tribute To Leo Smart -By Adepoju Isaiah Gbenga

SARS as a force is one of the venoms that is destroying Nigeria as a young Nation. Today in Osun State, the force created by the Buhari regime killed a boy – Leo Smart – in a hot chase just because of their perception of him. Again, I, as a citizen of Nigeria stand against the establishment of SARS. I, as a citizen of Osun State, stands against the continuity of SARS, both as a force and a group of radicals.

NIGERIA, as a country, will not wisen up if this passes us by without our interference. If some group of people caused chaos at Oke Fia in Osogbo today because of their emotions, they have a right to it. If the SARS could be responsible for a young man’s death, without rescuing him nor attempting to save his life, I believe the people have a right to own their grief and radicalism.

No matter the gravity of a civilian’s crime, a force, no matter the creator, can not chase a civilian to the extent that he/she meets with an unfortunate accident and the force leaves him/her there to die. Such was the case of the name of the young boy, known as Leo Smart (real name withheld). The said boy went to the mall – Osogbo mall – two hours before his unfortunate death, and now the question of the existence of SARS is more troubling than pleasing. What is its usefulness in the society? In what ways has it helped in the growth of society? What are the physical achievements of its establishment? Has it done anything than kill youths and teens it perceived to be fraudsters? What exactly has it helped the people of Osun State, Osogbo? These are recurring questions that tackle its legitimacy and legality in our society. These are the evidence of its hooliganism. These, alone, will instigate the feeling of insecurity in the citizens (it has).

Their existence is making us feel insecure in Osun State. It kills our kin and kith and turns our homes to graves. We have been managing the corruption of the police (since every-once-awhile they covet fifty-naira notes), but the addition of SARS as a force can be seen as a deliberate killing of Nigerian citizens and the people of Osun State. It can even be seen as nonchalance by the regime of the present government. This killing will continue if the president – GCAF H.S Muhammad Buhari – will not find a solution to this plague.

“Susan Emem remembers the time she encountered Nigeria’s feared Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) one year ago.

She and seven other friends were heading home after a night out in Enugu, in southeast Nigeria.

“We were coming from Extreme Lounge, a bar,” she said.

“They dragged us out of the taxi we were in and said they were going to charge us for being dressed liked prostitutes. They shot into the air several times to scare us and shut us up as we tried to argue.”

Susan related the incident in a voice tinged with anger.

“My friend, the only man among us, tried to reason with one of the officers but the officer hit him hard with the end of his gun. This was when we realised that things had gone out of hand,” she said.

Susan and her friends were flung into the back of a van by four SARS operatives and taken to a police station at New Haven where they were eventually thrown into a cell” (source: NEWS /AFRICA – by Aisha Salaudeen – 15 Dec 2017 GMT+3)

The death of Leo Smart is only a jolt to our scars, to our grief. Our spirit is with the killed. Our condolences with those who died in hot chases. Our hearts with those who died because their skin was smooth and glossy. Our very own words are with those who will still die if the present government does nothing about it.

Today, I, ADEPOJU ISAIAH GBENGA, grief Leo Smart, not because of anything but because I’m a person and I feel.

I say no to the existence of SARS.

“Cry ‘Havoc’ and let slip the dogs of war”.

#NOSARS

#ISTANDFORSMART