By NELSON DAFE, Benin City

The Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigeria Police has come under serious fire from Nigerians for years now and criticism of the police force has reached fever pitch recently following very disturbing reports, some on video of police brutality and extra judicial killings carried out by SARS as well as other cases of intimidation and extortion of citizens.

Last weekend the Delta State city of Ughelli boiled with violence erupting following alleged police killing of several youths as indigenes of the city protested vehemently. In a video making the rounds, youths could be heard calling for the death of any SARS officer found in the city.

All these prompted widespread calls for the country to ban SARS with the harsh tag #EndSARS# trending all over and Nigerian music celebrities including Wizkid, Teni, Davido and PSquare joining in the calls.

The Federal Government has heeded the calls by announcing on Sunday the ban on Federal SARS patrol nationwide with immediate effect.

There are some voices among the Nigerian populace however who still see the utility of having the SARS around and one of them is Obaro Emanovwe, Executive Director of High Flyers British International High School based in Benin City.

In a defence of SARS in his Facebook post titled “End SARS...Why?” Emanovwe stated:

“I’m a young man. I drive Benz. I carry hair. I’m very soft. But I’ve never been stopped by SARS. In fact I don’t think the Nigeria police have stopped my more than five times in five years. The only encounter I had with SARS was when I was walking along the road and the reflection of my skin attracted them. When they asked me what I do and heard my accent and saw the smile on my face before listing what I do, I had barely got to number 3 before they drove away. They didn’t allow me to get to the part where I would ask them if they were going to my direction so they could give me a lift.”

Emanovwe went on to ask: “Could there be something about the arrogance of people who don’t legally work for their money that makes SARS treat them with brutality?”

He warned that Nigerians could be playing into the hands of criminals in their call to ban SARS.

“Let’s be careful so we don’t join armed robbers and kidnappers to say end SARS,” Emanovwe said.

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