By Richardson Ogwezzy
The recent protest of Nigerians on the urgent need to ban SARS due to their high level of brutality, intimidation, molestation and extrajudicial killings etc has one good important lesson for Nigerians.
One important question that keeps bothering my mind during this ongoing nationwide protest on #EndSARS is; does that mean without nationwide protest Federal Government of Nigeria will not be aware that something is going wrong in the country? Yesterday, youths in Ndokwa in Kwale did their protest. This reminds me of the protest organised by Ndokwa Youths in Kwale in September, 2020. They made peaceful protest to government on sheer neglect of the area despite their meaningful contribution to the nation’s economy.
Do you know that within the month, massive repairs of roads with drainages started. Today, in Kwale, say what you like, It has taken a new look.
Going back to the issues of Nigeria Youths’ protest for the disbandment of SARS, as the protest is ongoing within the country, we hear statements that a new unit of SWAT that will replace SARS will soon go to recruitment centres for training. That SWAT means Special Weapons Tactics.The Federal Government has forgotten that Nigerians did not protest for replacement, but disbandment. If replacement is to be considered, is not at this high tension period. Nigerians, especially the youths, should be consulted. SWAT is an acronym for Special Weapons Tactics while the dictionary meaning of SWAT means to beat off, a hard hit, stroke or to blow. The word “SWAT” has proved what will happen in no distant time. The question is; who are they going to hit, beat or blow. The case of SWAT must never be different, it will equally be me or you that must be beaten up, hit or blown. The quick recruitment of SWAT without making due consultations of Nigerians will not give the desired results. If Federal Government saw the need of replacing them they would have done it before now. The case of SARS whether there should be replacement will be for Nigerians to decide because they saw the need. When a market woman’s goods falls in the public, everyone will see what she is carrying. The issue of SARS is in the public domain, so very Nigerian must decide now, before they swat innocent Nigerians again.
The first thing the Federal Government ought to do is to pacify those families that were badly affected, the injured and those that lost their lives, in the course of the protest. Then, make due consultations of what squad is to be used to replace, if it so pleases Nigerians.
In sum, by this protest, it becomes a widely known fact that the only way Nigerian Government can listen to her citizens is by way of protest. By this, issues of unemployment, corruption, marginalisation, bad governance, to mention but a few, bedeviling this country can be reduced to a considerable degree if there is protest. I believe the Federal Government of Nigeria has shown Nigerians that the best way our requests and demands can be attended to, is by way of protest. Nigerian youths, I think they should not rest on their oars on the issue of protest till Nigeria is on the part towards good governance.
Nigerian Youths after #EndSARS, we will have #EndUNEMPLOYMENT, then #EndCORRUPTION, Then #End….
