SARS is supposedly gone but SARS remain with us because SARS is the Nigeria police and the Nigeria Police is SARS. The lessons of the EndSARS protest are completely lost on the Police establishment and the Nigerian government. Our people have the saying that a child destined to die by drowning never stops playing by the riverbank. “If monkey no die e hand no go commot from branch of tree.”

Every activity of the “proscribed” SARS that led to the nationwide #endSARS protest which shook the country to it’s foundation are still being perpetuated by the Nigeria Police. Everyday, the police still harrass hapless young Nigerians on the road. PartIcularly, on DSC-NPA Expressway after the Igbogidi bridge -by the Celestial Church – the police block both side of the road, where young male Nigerians are daily accosted, ask to come down from whatever transport they are in and subjected to public humiliating search of the phones, pockets and bags as if they are some suspected thieves – sometimes in the presence of their female partners. It makes one wonder the kind of policing that stereotypes every young male as a suspected criminal and wether accosting young men on the road and subjecting them to humiliation is the best kind of policing. And you say the police is your friend? How can such police be friend to young people?

Sooner than later, some young man will resist, a trigger happy policeman will respond, then a needless death and the fire next time.

No nation can treat it’s youths in such a condescending manner and expect not to be a nation of uncooperative, rebellious and angry youths. Tinderboxes litter every inch of our national space, waiting for a tiny spark to trigger a conflagration.