SARS era was a terrible time in Nigeria – Omah Lay

Nigerian record producer and singer, Omah Lay originally born Stanley Omah Didia has described the period where the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) operated in his homeland as difficult times.

According to him, the period in which they existed is not something he wishes to remember as a Nigerian.

“The SARS thing was a terrible time and sometimes I just don’t want to remember what happened during the period. I just don’t want to remember the Lekki massacre and all that. It was terrible”, he stated.

Sharing his experience with SARS on Y 107.9 FM’s Myd Morning Radio Show with Rev Erskine, the musician said, “just after the release of ‘Bad Influence’, I was held by SARS when I was returning from the studio at a late hour. I just thank God I had a hit song then and I was a recognizable face”.

The musician believes if it had been a different person, it would have been a problem for that individual, and was fortunate he was popular then.

Omah Lay disclosed he lost people close to him because of SARS harassments. “I lost a lot of people to SARS and my emotions broke when I heard someone in Port Harcourt was shot for refusing to unlock his phone”.

In October 2020, the youth of Nigeria started a worldwide protest calling for the abolishment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) which they accused of robbery, bribery, and youth harassment.

After weeks of mass demonstrations against police brutality, the government agreed to disband a widely hated police unit.

In Nigeria, it took just three weeks of mass demonstrations for President Muhammadu Buhari to announce he would eliminate the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, or SARS, the most reviled segment of the national Nigerian Police Force.