A former Big Brother Naija housemate, Anita Natacha Akide says the government must go beyond the rhetorics and take steps in tackling issues raised by #SARSMUSTEND protesters in the country.

“At the moment, we have given the government time. We are all in Nigeria; we hear promises; we need to see actions being taken. Legit action being taken,” the ex-BBNaija housemate fondly called Tacha told Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Wednesday.

“I understand it is not going to happen overnight. There are certain procedures; there are certain stages to how all of this stuff can be achieved.

“At the same time, it is promises that we get to hear. We need to see action, actually. And trust me, the youths are not leaving the streets until we see action.”

A file photo of protestors carrying a placard reading “Special Anti-Robbery Squad SARS Are Authorised Criminals” during a demonstration calling for the scrapping of the controversial police unit, in Ikeja, on October 8, 2020.

– ‘We Need Justice’ –

While calling for justice for those who were killed during the protests which have continued to gather steam despite the ban on the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), Tacha admitted that the victims could have been anyone.

“It could have been anybody,” she lamented, reiterating calls for the reformation of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), and government’s implementation of the demands made by the agitators.

“Those officers need to be brought to the book. The police force needs to be reformed; we need justice for the lives that have been lost. We are not leaving the streets anytime soon, I think so.

“We have our demands and we need the government to start working on them.”

SARS Dissolved

On Sunday, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, had disbanded SARS, bowing to the demands of Nigerians who called for the scrapping of the tactical unit of the force.

“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police, otherwise known as SARS, is hereby dissolved across all formations, the 36 state police command and the Federal Capital Territory where they currently exist,” the police chief said.

“All officers and men currently serving in the unit are to be redeployed with immediate effect.”

A file photo of ex-BBNaija housemate, ‘Tacha.

But despite the ban and the introduction of the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) to tackle crimes in Nigeria, the protests have continued in several parts of the country.

The protesters have rejected the new unit of the police force, and have vowed not to back down in their demands until they are implemented.