THE OFFICIAL POSITION OF DYRF.
WE as an organization known and called Defend Your Rights Foundation DYRF, is duly registered by the Corporate Affairs Commission. We had hinted earlier that we will make our position known today after our meeting /training. In view of the latest development occasioned by pent up resentment against SARS, we do solemnly recognize and affirm the rights of citizens to use protest to demand for their rights.
We do recognize that citizens have the fundamental rights as enshrined and protected by the constitution to fight for their rights. We recognize the fact that protest is one of the fastest and legitimate means to influence any system that deny people’s rights.
In respect of the campaigns which has engulfed the entire nation DYRF, make bold to state categorically without any hint or trace of irony or contradiction, without any fear or favor, without any bias or prejudice, that protesters were exercising their rights. We have to hold our government accountable and responsible.
Yet, recall that similar campaigns had occurred in 2017,2018 and now, 2020.This points to the fact that the problem is endemic.
The problem is systemic.
The problem is institutional. The problem is beyond #ENDSARS.
Therefore, solution lies beyond ENDSARS.
Experience shows that SARS Is as dreadful and corrupt as every other government agencies.
Experience has proved that SARS is notoriously dangerous and violates people’s rights with impunity and reckless abandon.
YET, experience has shown that(taking Anambra state as a case study) from 1999 up to 2003,Anambra State had the unenviable tag of most unsecured state in Nigeria.
Anambra State was the capital of dangerous crimes and criminality.
Anambra state was a pariah in the comity of states. It therefore, took the gallantry and ruthlessness of SARS to return the state to normalcy. SARS men risked their lives to make Anambra safe for good people but dangerous to bad people.
SARS as a unit of the Police force never worked without control.
We at DYRF believe that the higher you go in police hierarchy, the cooler and easier, it becomes. To prove this fact, sometimes in 2018, a group of men of the OPERATION SAFER HIGH WAY, robbed Edo state bound travellers at FLYOVER ONITSHA, a huge sum of money at gun point.(the victims said it was SARS) The information was on the net. This got the attention of the Director of DSS, Isyaku Yusuf. He ordered for discreet investigation and the policemen involved were tracked and arrested.
Some times this year, some policemen committed similar offense, our attention was drawn to it, DYRF threatened to report same to OC SARS AWKUZU, the money was quickly returned.
We discovered that most times, our people don’t even know what is divisional police station and Area Command:they don’t know the difference between SARS and SPECS….
BUT, we urge our youths(both the active and lazy ones), you are addressed the way you dress. Plaiting your hair, perforating your ears, drawing dragon or scorpion tattoos,driving cars beyond your income, sagging or nakedness are not crimes in real sense but they can give somebody away as highly suspicious and irresponsible.
We urge our people to avail themselves of all the advantages of technology.. You can record and gather facts.
Finally, DYRF never supported the ENDSARS CAMPAIGN…
WE SUPPORT, REFORM SARS..
WE SUPPORT, IMPROVED POLICE FORCE.
WE SUPPORT GOOD GOVERNANCE.
WE SUPPORT RESTRUCTURING.
NOW, that SARS is disbanded, is the problem over?
Is disbanding same as sacking?
When the head is rotten, the whole body is rotten.
Signd. Charles Ejefonye.
Chairman BOT DYRF.
11/10/2020.
It’s happening in my time …yes