Tony John, Port Harcourt
Rivers State youths, on Thursday, protested alleged threat by operatives of the Police’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) to kill Governor Nyesom Wike’s Senior Special Assistant on Social Media, Marshal Obuzor.
The SARS operatives last Monday, around Popular Mandela car wash at the Old GRA, Port Harcourt, allegedly accosted Obuzor, manhandled him and used machetes and rods to inflict injuries on him.
Allegedly led by one Sergeant Clever Kporoko, the SARS operatives further assaulted Obuzor and left him with a ruptured ear. Medical examinations by consultants at the Braithwaite Memorial Specialist Hospital indicate that Obuzor will require surgical procedures in France to correct the ruptured ear.
Meanwhile, youth professionals from across Rivers State converged on Port Harcourt City Local Government Secretariat where they declared their displeasure with SARS brutality and unprovoked murders across the state.
Also, the leadership of National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN), the state chapter, condemned SARS’ illegal activities across the state.
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They called for immediate investigations and prosecution of the erring operatives.
Addressing the protesters, Obuzor said Rivers indigenes have been affected directly or indirectly by SARS illegal activities.
He said the nature of attack on him showed the police department has degenerated.
“In public view, they used machetes and rods to beat me and seized my phones. They repeatedly threatened to kill me. Even the government official who intervened was threatened with death.
“I was surprised that SARS has gotten to this stage where they don’t care that people are watching,” Obuzor said.
He said the petition to the state police commissioner demanded an end to SARS brutality across the state, saying enough is enough.
NYCN Publicity Secretary, who represented the state President, Sara-Igbe Sukubo, Adokiye Ogunobere, called on the state police command to stop SARS’ illegal activities, noting that Rivers youths will no longer tolerate their acts of criminality.
He said: “Rivers youths under the aegis of NYCN Rivers State write to formally register our protest on the illegal activities of operatives of SARS across the 23 local government areas of the state.
“Many Rivers youths have been killed, maimed and dispossessed of valued possessions by SARS operatives in the last six months. The frequency of these illegal acts necessitated this petition.
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“We urge you to comprehensively intervene by investigating all complaints against SARS operatives in the state and prosecute erring operatives.”
Obuzor, officials of NYCN and selected youth professionals later walked to the state police command where they submitted the two petitions.
The management of the police command assured that the issue will be investigated and any SARs operative found wanting will face the wrath of the law.