US-based Ghanaian Professor of Law and social commentator, Prof. Stephen Kwaku Aware, who is popularly known as Prof Kwaku Azar has said that the prevalence of police brutality on the African continent can be traced back to our colonial history when the colonial masters set up security forces to protect themselves while causing harm to the populace.
Speaking in an interview with Kwame Afrifa Mensah on the ‘Epa Hoa Daben’ show, he noted, “If you observe what is going on in Nigeria, they are able to injure the taxpayers, it all stems from our history. You have to question the reason why the police and security forces were set up. And looking into it, the colonial people or the British or the French set securities up so that they can oppress the natives then we cannot organize ourselves and ask for freedom”.
He argued that even though we are no more under the colonial rule, the mentality of police oppressing the people still exists.
He charged that for a change to happen, besides the reorientation of the security forces, citizens of countries must organize themselves and admit that power is in their hands rather than our leaders.
“We must go further to retrain the police and security that the citizens should never be your enemy. The citizens must understand that power is from them. We must organize ourselves to bring change. That is the way it is supposed to be. We must advise ourselves.
So sometimes, people do not speak the truth because of their political affiliation. We must think of our country first so that the future generation would be proud to be Ghanaians. We must frown on the wrong things even if it is from our party. If we are not able to go that level, our talks will be in vain”, he added.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian police was accused of brutality on citizens of the country. Nigerians took to the streets to demonstrate while others have begun a social media hashtag #EndSARS.
After weeks of protests, authorities announced a dissolution of the Squad with the replacement of another unit known as SWAT.
On Tuesday, October 20th, Nigeria’s security forces were accused of shooting demonstrators according to several witnesses, as authorities imposed a curfew while promising an investigation.
Meanwhile, some world leaders have condemned the acts of violence in the country and have asked for calm in the country.
By: Alberta Dorcas N D Armah
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