The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is notorious for profiling people, mostly young Nigerians.
The activities of the special police unit are now
trending on social media ยป . Hundreds of people are narrating the experience with SARS operatives.
If the tweets are anything to go by, you could get arrested by SARS for looking or dressing some type of way. The reasons range from the ridiculous to the unbelievable.
Pulse has compiled a list of ten things that shouldn’t get you arrested by SARS but still do. You can read them below;
1) Tattoos
Tattoos are works of art and harmless fun but SARS use it to profile criminals. Having a tattoo or tattoos would most likely make you a suspect in the eyes of SARS officials. These law enforcement officials seem to believe only criminals have tattoos.
If you bump into any of them and have a tattoo you are going to be in big trouble. The chances of being arrested and interrogated are pretty high.
2) Laptops
Having a laptop shouldn’t be a big deal but for SARS operatives it is another indicator that you are into Internet fraud. The mere possession of a laptop would get you into serious trouble with SARS operatives.
If you do not have a receipt for the laptop then you are in big trouble which might land you in a prison cell. SARS officers don’t believe ordinary citizens should own laptops.
3) Dreadlocks & Beards
SARS operatives have been known to arrest men with dreadlocks and beards. It is code red for them. You could be artistic, woke and be a member of the beard gang, SARS could care less. No one really knows the connection between crime and having dreadlocks and a beard.
You could be as gentle as a dove and still get arrested for having dreads and beards.
4) Ear piercing
Mainstream Nigeria has always frowned on men with ear piercings so this is not much of a surprise. SARS operatives have jumped on this stereotype to arrest and detain young men with ear piercings.
5) Possession of a mobile phone
In the 21st century, everyone should have a mobile phone. The men of the SARS don’t seem to think this way. Once they stop you in public, the next thing is to ask for your phone and search it with no warrant. The more expensive your phone, the bigger the trouble you are in. You could be called a cultist or Internet fraudster once they go through your phone.
6) Driving a car
If you are young and have a car, trust me, SARS will you pull you over several times and search it. There are unconfirmed stories of SARS operatives planting incriminating objects in the cars of innocent Nigerians to get them arrested.
7) Dress S3xy
It’s not only men that get wrongly profiled by SARS, women too are victims. Thanks to the anti-SARS Twitter thread we’ve found out that these policemen pick on women too. Their style is to harass women who they think dress like prostitutes. These unlucky women are thrown into vans for interrogation or a ride around town.
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