PORT HARCOURT ARTISTE CLASSIC-B BRUTALISED AND ROBBED BY SARS OFFICERS
■ Lamenting his ordeal via Facebook, popular Port Harcourt rap artiste, Classic-B Lionel, alleged that officers of the notorious Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force whisked him away as he strolled out of his house on Monday evening to purchase some of his needs.
The young rapper said the officers approached him and began to question him on his identity, accusing him of being an Internet fraudster even after explaining to them that he is a musician.
He was forced into their patrol vehicle even as his efforts to attract attention to his plight from passers-by got ignored as he continuously shouted for the respect of his fundamental human right.
Classic-B stated that he was thoroughly beaten, hit on his face and stomach with rifles by the SARS men.
He was forced to unlock his phone which was scrutinize in search of evidence linking him to Internet fraud but nothing was found.
The SARS agents demanded to know how he was able to afford an Apple iPhone Pro Max and the expensive clothes he wore, insisting he is a criminal.
Continuing, the artiste stated that his bank accounts were also checked and his Bitcoin wallet was demanded by the Police officers but he feigned ignorance of owning one.
Then he was driven to a dark place in an area called ALUU, a community after the University of Port-Harcourt Campus, where the SARS men demanded for N200,000 or else he will be shot and his body disposed.
The Nigerian anti-robbery agents threatened him that he will not be the first innocent person to be dealt with in such manner.
With a gun pointed on his head, he was forced to make a call for the ransom demanded but must not mention to anyone phoned that he is been held.
Classic-B mentioned that he contacted his elder brother who transferred N40,000 into his account and then the SARS officers drove him to Rumuodara junction (over 20km from ALUU) where he withdraw the cash via POS (receipts enclosed) and handed to them.
According to the him, N35,000 cash found in his wallet was also taken, his phone got broken and clothing torn to shreds by the SARS officers.
“My body hurts, and I’m bleeding on my stomach. Omo the system is f**ked,” he concluded.
Recall that on the 4th of October 2020, a video went viral showing SARS officers dragging two men from a hotel and shooting one of them outside.
A few days later, protests erupted across Nigeria.
On 11 October, SARS is disbanded. But it was the 5th time since 2015 that the Nigerian authorities pledged to reform the police and disband SARS.
Protests continued demanding more than empty promises.
On 20 October, the Nigerian army violently repressed a peaceful protest at the Lekki toll gate, shooting at the protesters and killing scores of people.
On that day alone, scores of protesters in other parts of Nigeria were killed by the Nigeria security forces.
Since that day, the Nigerian authorities have tried to cover up the events of the Lekki Toll Gate Shooting. They froze protests leaders’ bank accounts and fined news agencies who diffused videos of the shooting.●
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