Heavy protest against the continuous and unending harassment of unarmed citizens by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigeria Police Force, has hit Benin City metropolis, the Edo State capital.
Igbere TV reports that the protest on Tuesday, came a day after the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, placed a ban on the FSARS and other Tactical Squads operating across the country, from carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk duties.
Our correspondent reports that the peaceful protest grounded commercial activities around Benin-Sapele road, Upper Sokponba road, Saint Saviour area to First East and Second East Circular and Airport roads in Benin City.
Commercial activities in some parts of Benin Metropolis including the king Square(front of Oba Palace), were equally grounded during the protests by youths who chanted anti-SARS songs.
The youths called on police authorities to go beyond the rhetoric of banning SARS and other affiliate units of the Force by ending pervasive human right abuse, extra-judicial killings, harassment and intimidation of unarmed civilians under the guise of looking for internet fraudsters in the State.
Some police operatives who accompanied the protesters, prevented hoodlums from hijacking the rally and descending into chaos or violent clashes with other road users.
The protesters called on relevant authorities to prevail on corrupt security personnel to respect the privacy of Nigerians.
The protesters brandished placards bearing various inscriptions such as, “My house is my privacy”, “Save us from the onslaught of SARS. Nigeria is my Country” among others.
