Many of us have had ugly experiences about SARS.

I will tell mine briefly, as a lawyer and a Nigerian, committed through touching lives through our foundation, www.breathoffreedom.com.ng.

What happened?

I went to court one day for a matter in my office, aside my foundation, I also work for an SAN, and I've been working there since I was called to bar in 2016.

While in court, they called up a matter, the defendant appeared, a young man about 19 to 20 years of age. The judge asked what his offence was and they said he stole phone. The judge asked him, he said he hasn't really understood why he's been brought to court or detained for the 10months he's been held in SARS, office Abuja. That he didn't steal any phone.

The judge was surprised to here the young guy has been held in SARS for over ten months without trial, so he asked the prosecutor and he started stammering, saying he doesn't know that he just got hold of the file. The judge was very furious and asked how they could hold him that long.

At this point, I picked interest in the matter and announced appearance for the young man. I requested from the judge the opportunity to approach the dock, and my application was granted, so I approached the young man to get further details as to what really happened. I also whispered to him to tell me the truth if indeed he stole the phone, (it is important one tells his lawyer the truth always) as I told him that if he lies and it's eventually discovered the evidence against him might be so overwhelming, there is nothing we can do to help him. He swore he didn't steal any phone.

So once I was convinced, I told the judge I have consulted my client and would want to stand appearance for him in full. I also informed the judge about our foundation, Breath of Freedom Foundation, www.breathoffreedom.com.ng of which I'm the chairman of the board.

The judge was happy that I took to represent the guy. I told the judge I will need time to study the file and see what they have come up against him before proceeding. I pleaded for the young man's bail, which the judge was ready to grant, but then he didn't have a surety.

Interestingly, to make the matter worse for the guy, they had filed all manner of charges against him, including armed robbery, theft etc so all that made it difficult to even get bail for him. But i was ready to fight it to the end, so upon further pressure, the judge ordered that he be taken back to SARS temporarily but be immediately released once he gets someone that can stand in for him. My Lord told us to facilitate the release, which we agreed.

The matter was adjourned to a later date.

We followed the matter up immediately, first starting from the prosecutor and eventually to the SARS officials. You know, once a matter is in court, ordinarily, the police hands off the matter, but in this situation, the young man hasnt taken his please and so the court cant assume jurisdiction over the matter, so it couldnt go to prison, so they took him back to SARs.

We went on the order of the court for an admistrative bail to be granted on the young man, but severally, SARs officials refused. We kept on pushing back, but they refused and insisted on keeping the guy.

What did we do? We pushed for the matter to be heard again and insisted on getting a closer date so the court can grant our prayer for the release of the young man. This eventually worked and on the sitting, he was granted bail.

Upon that, SARS prosecutor said he was continuing with the matter, in fact that was the end of it because he didn't even have any evidence and the alleged nominal complainant on the matter refused to appear in court to give evidence.

That was how the young man regained his freedom. We are proud to be part of those doing this

I and my foundation, www.breathoffreedom.com.ng which has a team of over 60 lawyers, 34doctors, nurses, pharmacists and counselors have released over 40 detainees from SARS detention. And we have continuously engaged the police to do well and carry out holistic reform.

Today we are happy SARS has been dissolved, but it should end there, we want reform of the police, because these same SARS guys sent into various armed of the police will filtrate and engage in worse brutality in those areas and even teach other police men how to be brutal.

For more on what we do, kindly visit us at www.breathoffreedom.com.ng

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#SARS has been dissolved.

When the people stand together no force can withstand them. One of the biggest problems of Nigeria is lack of one voice, devoid of tribal, and religious sentiments. If we as a people can stand to say no to bad leadership, misrule and failure of government, not minding where the leader comes from or what religion he practices, Nigeria will be great again.


#Next is to demand total reform of the Nigeria Police Force. And insist on a new Crime fighting unit that is intelligence based, humane and in line with international best practices on fighting crime. All the officers to be engaged must be trained on both law and human rights as well as made to undergo drugs and mental test.
Breath of Freedom Foundation.

Nice one

That was so virtuous of you to represent such a helpless boy. I once went to station to bail someone but ended up bailing almost 4 persons. You will shocked how many are in dentition cell for months if not years. What they do is they have a separate cell where they keep them to segregate them from others. Naija no be small zoo

Nice one..

Imagine Nigeria security forces arresting you for wandering.... Like Wtf