Some say they don’t know exactly what Nigerian youths want; that government needs time to set up committees of inquiry before anything meaningful can be done.
That’s not entirely true. The message from Nigerian youths, embodied in the #EndSARS protests, is clear as crystal. And there are sensible things that can be done right away to earn the confidence of protesters and encourage them to stay home and give government time for more fundamental reforms. Call them low-hanging fruits that can put a smile on everyone’s face.
Here is a shortlist of 7 simple things that can be done RIGHT NOW to demonstrate good faith and end the standoff:
1. Transfer the case files of all former SARS officers indicted for human rights abuse to the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) or any other independent and competent body for diligent prosecution. The mandate should be for all accused to appear in court within the shortest possible time. It is also important for the cases to be tried in open court, with the media in attendance. The current practice of asking the police to try erring police officers is patently unjust. It will never produce equity or justice. It is like asking someone to testify against his twin in court.
Similarly, state directors of public prosecution are not well placed to handle such cases in our climes. Reason: State governors and government officials were among the biggest patrons of SARS. They are widely known to have used the unit against political opponents, for private vendetta and public intimidation – often in the guise of keeping law and order. Therefore government officials cannot be unbiased in setting up an inquest.
Extant laws on the process for trying erring police officers were made during the colonial times. The purpose was to protect colonial officials and their agents in their dealings with lowly “natives.” At independence, such laws were inherited by indigenous political elites. They have since used them to their own advantage with little desire to make necessary amendments in line with democratic norms.
2. Retire with immediate effect all officers who served the defuct SARS from the rank of Commander upwards. All other former SARS officers should proceed on indefinite suspension. They may be reabsorbed into the police (or other relevant departments of state) only after independent psychiatric & professional evaluation to determine their suitability for service in a new Nigeria. Plus, comprehensive retraining to prepare them for fresh engagement. Reason for cleaning out the top echelon is simple: SARS was a typical law enforcement unit with command and control structures. Therefore its leadership cannot be absolved from the misdemeanors of the rank and file.
3. A new Oath of Office shouldl be mandatory for all Police, DSS, Customs, FRSC, Civil Defence and internal security officers. In the new Oath, they shall affirm that they are SERVANTS of the people not overlords; swear to be courteous and respectful of all citizens; and to use reasonable force only after exhausting civil means of engagement. That all persons, including suspects and convicts, shall be considered innocent until proven guilty. That all citizens shall be treated with respect and dignity.
For so long, security operatives in Nigeria have operated with a perverted sense of loyalty. They see government officials as the state and the people as enemies of state. This mentality needs to be symbolically and dramatically corrected. A new Oat of Office goes a long way in doing that.
4. A Presidential Order that henceforth all children of public servants MUST attend public schools in Nigeria only; and all public servants, their spouses and children MUST use public hospitals in Nigeria only. Any public official who is not willing to abide by this Order should be under obligation to resign immediately. All those with children and spouses already abroad for educational or medical reasons should be given a maximum of 6 months to transfer them back home. Failing to do this, the appointment or position of the public official should lapse automatically.
Nigeria is one of few countries where public office holders gleefully patronize foreign institutions for all manners of services. This is morally reprehensible. It means that the food they cook and serve others is not good enough for them. That this continues to be the case under a president with an acclaimed anti-corruption policy is an affront for all persons with a sense of decency.
5. A Presidential Order that henceforth the number of personal aides attached to every public office in Nigeria is cut by 50%. This applies to all offices at Federal, State & Local Government levels, from the Office of President all the way down, with no exceptions. This should apply to their security aides and convoys as well. Any public official who is not satisfied with this directive should resign immediately.
6. A Presidential Order that effective October, 2020, the salaries and allowances of all public office holders in Nigeria is cut by 50%. This order should be in effect pending a comprehensive nationwide review by the statutory bodies charged with setting the remuneration of public office holders to bring them in line with current national realities. Those bodies should take not more than 6 months to complete their review (which shall be in open sessions) and publish their recommendations.
7. A Presidential Order that effective immediately, Security Votes for all public office holders without exception shall be made public. Similarly, all applications of and withdrawals from Security Votes should be subject to full public accounting procedures, including but not limited to retirement of expenses. These records should be subject to public scrutiny on demand.
The rationale for items 4 – 7 above is the same: Every year, 70 – 75% of national resources goes into paying the emoluments and maintaining the lifestyles of public officials. They live in affluence way above the levels of those they lead. Little or nothing is left for infrastructural development, public services and social welfare. This is immoral and totally unjustifiable. The people are aware of this. They are disgusted by it. They see how, year after year, government officials make fancy speeches and sidestep this issue of bloated cost of governance because they are benefiting from it.
The #EndSARS protest is a metaphor for the accumulated bitterness of Nigeria’s poor and marginalized against official robbery and looting of the national treasury. This is why looting and vandalism in an unprecedented scale took over when peaceful protests were disrupted. It is a signal of something more fundamental – a cry against systemic injustice.
A vast majority of Nigerians see their elected and appointed leaders in similar light as the police and defunct SARS; the only difference is that while one group is extorting the system straight from the coffers, the other is in the streets doing the same with arms. To ignore this layer of the messages is to pay lip service to calls for “reform” and postpone the evil day.
All of the 7 steps outlined herein can be taken immediately without further ado – if Mr. President is sincere that he has heard the demands of Nigerian youths and is ready for a system reset. All are lawful and within the limits of presidential powers. Together, they will send a powerful signal to all Nigerians and the world that Africa’s sleeping giant is finally ready to clean up it’s act.
God save Nigeria.
Victor Anazonwu is the author of “The 8 Habits of Highly Ineffective People” (Amazon.com, 2019). He is also a member of The Renaissance Editorial Board.
