Last four years, the Federal Government disbanded the Nigeria Police “Special Anti -Robbery Squad (SARS)” because it was no longer desirable due to the horror the team dispensed against Nigerians. During the SARS era, citizens lived in fear of the unknown because SARS operatives appeared to be operating without anybody among those in authority monitoring their excesses, hence they operated with all sense of impunity in broad daylight.
The SARS team, as the name implied, was created to deal with, and contain armed robbery crimes and other criminalities that disturbed the safety, security and peace of the Nigerian citizens. Instead of focusing on that defined mandate, SARS operatives turned to state terrorists whose activities became more horrible than those of the armed robbers they were appointed to exterminate.
On daily basis, news of the brutality and high handedness of SARS operatives sent fear to numerous Nigerians. Young men and women no longer had the liberty to move around the country freely due to the fear of SARS. Young adults were mowed down in their prime by fierce looking SARS operatives. Sorrow and pain filled the heart of parents whose children were brutally murdered by SARS operatives, and no government at all levels intervened until the youths summoned courage to withstand the murderous SARS.
In 2020, the Nigerian youths went out in their thousands to resist SARS operatives by staging a nationwide protest that jolted those at the helm of authority. Though the protest was hijacked and somehow turned bloody, SARS was promptly disbanded with its excesses. Now the question is, will government allow the SARS episode to repeat itself in Imo State?
In the once peaceful state, the activities of the Police Anti-Kidnapping Unit which has adopted the sobriquet “Tiger Base”, are making life unbearable for Imo State citizens. The horror-looking appearance of the operatives of Tiger Base, their sporadic shooting style, their jungle justice approach which often times results in illegal killings, as well as their aggressive extortionist tendencies, all combine to make life unbearable for Imo citizens.
As the authorities are being expected to wade in and curb the nauseating excesses of the Imo Police Tiger Base, in this edition, we serve you the horrible experiences of Imo indigenes in the hands of the Tiger Base operatives.
Comptroller Hussein Ejibunu, Customs Area Controller (CAC) of Federal Operations Unit (FOU) Zone A Lagos, is a maverick anti-smuggling expert whose leadership of the Unit has helped in reducing drastically smuggling activities and other illicit trade practices in the sea ports, airports and land borders across the South west geopolitical zone.
Ejibunu recently got promoted to the rank of Comptroller of Customs, and was decorated with his new rank early January 2024. He is a media friendly customs top shot. In recognition of his patriotic approach to fighting insecurity via customs anti-smuggling operations, Ejibunu and his command have secured the Cover Page of this edition where some of FOU’s sterling performances are given due attention. Enjoy it.
