Entertainment
#EndSARS: ‘Mr President, this is the reform effort we want’
TRACKING___Popular Nigerian singer and actor cum politician, Bankole Wellington, also known as Banky W has listed the kind of efforts he wants the Federal Government to make towards the reformation of the Nigeria Police Force.
Banky W in a Tweet on Saturday while responding to President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement on the ongoing EndSARS protest also insisted that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police Force must be proscribed.
You would recall that for the past four days, there have been protests and campaigns in various cities across the country calling for the proscription of SARS over alleged harassment and extrajudicial killings of Nigerian youths suspected to be internet fraudsters by SARS officers.
The #EndSARS protests were so intense on Friday that the hashtag gained global momentum on social media platforms, especially Twitter with over 10 million tweets.
However, President Buhari had on Friday evening responded to the various calls to end the SARS unit, urging Nigerians to remain calm as he’s being briefed regularly on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the Police are fully accountable to the people.
I met again with the IGP tonight. Our determination to reform the police should never be in doubt. I am being briefed regularly on the reform efforts ongoing to end police brutality and unethical conduct, and ensure that the Police are fully accountable to the people. pic.twitter.com/yoLoZt7Et9
— Muhammadu Buhari (@MBuhari) October 9, 2020
Demanding for the reform effort Nigerians want from the government, Banky W tweeted:
“Mr President, this is the reform effort we want: – #EndSARS – Any officer involved caught in Extorting/assaulting citizens is immediately suspended without pay, investigated and charged – Police must be held liable to pay damages for their conduct in proven cases – #EndSarsNow
“Police must also be held liable for damages in proven cases. They must pay hefty damages to the families of their victims… directly out of their yearly budget!! When they hurt us, it must hurt their pockets. I’ve lost count of how many times we have to raise money for victims
“The Govt must #EndSarsNow. But we can’t stop at the ban, because the same bad officers will still be in the Police force and just continue the behaviour. #EndSARS but also commit that any officer involved in extortion or brutality is immediately suspended, investigated & charged.”
Mr President, this is the reform effort we want:
– #EndSARS
– Any officer involved caught in Extorting/assaulting citizens is immediately suspended without pay, investigated and charged
– Police must be held liable to pay damages for their conduct in proven cases
– #EndSarsNow https://t.co/HzgIIYJmsf— Banky Wellington (@BankyW) October 10, 2020