Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr. Kadri Hamzat on Friday told #EndSARS protesters that Nigeria is not a Kangaroo country and that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, cannot just be disbanded like that as they are doing their jobs.
He, however, stated that the prosecution of ‘bad eggs’ who do not adhere to the professional standards in discharging their duties is the way to protect citizens and allow the police do its job.
Hamzat made the call today while addressing the “#EndSARS protesters” in Alausa, saying that “the only way to stop the unjustified arrest of our youth just because of their looks or phones is for the police force to find those bad eggs spoiling their names and prosecute them”.
The Deputy Governor noted that every decent Nigerian should be upset with the overzealous act of the security operatives, adding that such must stop.
Hamzat said calling for the end of the operative was not the best solution to end the menace, adding that the police were important for the safety of the people, adding that “The police only need to purge themselves of the bad eggs among them.”
The Deputy Governor remarked that the police must remain, as they have a job to do, saying, “we are not against the police fighting robbers but what we are saying is don’t unjustly hurt our children because of their look.
“The police or law enforcement agencies must do their job. In doing that job, they cannot trample on the rights of other citizens, it is not just right. So, our youths, because of their look, or because somebody is carrying a computer, you cannot say someone is guilty because of his look or whatever he is carrying. So, the police job is to arrest and send them for prosecution if they do something wrong. So, that tenet must be adhere to.”
He noted that “every decent Nigerian will be upset if a legitimate young man or woman doing his job is attacked and maimed for no reason”.
The Deputy Governor urged the protesters to allow for due process to take place, adding that FSARS could not just be disbanded, “they must do their jobs and must be done in a lawful manner, this is not a kangaroo country, we are a country of process.”
He advised the protesters to be peaceful in their protest without breaking the law, saying, “because in breaking the law, breaking property of government or society, we will be hurting ourselves. Let us be orderly, let us be clear on what we are talking about, we cannot block the road what if there is someone going to the hospital, the person will die. We must look at the society at large’. I say clearly that it is wrong for any law enforcement agent to actually maim or criminalized another Nigerian citizen without a reasonable cause. – The News.
