Ex-SARS commander: It raises suspicion for a young person to have N7m car
Vandefan Tersugh, a former commander of the dissolved special anti-robbery squad (SARS), says it raises suspicion for a young Nigerian to have a car worth N7 million.
Tersugh, who is a retired chief superintendent of police, said this during an African Independent Television (AIT) programme on Monday.
He said police officers, including former operatives of SARS cannot detect crime by “mere seeing you” on the road but they have to interrogate such persons to find out the source of their income.
He was speaking in the light of the recent nationwide protests against the anti-robbery squad accused of excessive use of force, arbitrary arrests and, in some cases, extrajudicial killings.
Many Nigerians have accused SARS operatives of undue profiling and stereotyping leading to alleged harassment and extortion of young people.
When he featured on the programme monitored by TheCable, Tersugh said while working as a police officer, he would suspect a Nigerian aged between 20 and 30 who was driving an expensive car and would have to enquire about such a person’s background.
“The mandate of the policeman is to detect crime and you can detect crime also through most of these technologies coming on board,” he said.
“We were not trained during our manuals to talk about cybersecurity and cybercrime, but today cybercrime has become something very endemic in our society. And this can be done by asking questions and examining some of these things physically.”
Arguing that police officers do not need a search warrant in such occasions, he said the manner the person replies the security operatives will determine their next line of action.
“If I stop you on the road and I want to have a look at your phone, I want to see your Facebook, I don’t think I have committed any crime because I am only asking you a simple question,” he said.
“It is your answer that will lead me to go beyond where I have started. I can’t detect crime by mere seeing you but by asking you questions. I have seen you with a car, and now I have assessed your age, and I know in Nigeria how difficult it is for someone who is 20, 30 to start having a car worth N7 million.
“I cannot, as a policeman, see you there and assume something is not wrong with the way you are with the car, except I am able to ask you a question and I know your background, your family background, where you are working and where you got money to buy this car.”
It unfortunate to see the way people in authority analysis things, I have no problem with police men or SARS asking question (s) but the idea of extortion and forcing youth to o transfer money from the supposed suspect account to the officers account is very unfortunate and that seems to be the in thing for the SARS men, we see them everywhere harassing youths. Nigeria is a fertile ground for crime because any uniform person sees his/ her self to be above the law.
Do the authority check the standard of living of their men and compare it to the salary the officer received as monthly salary, many officers live above their means that is how authorities over the world knows the bad guys in their employment.
Here a sergeant may have a duplex at gra or Ikeja and choices cars . Be giving ogas returns and he is said to be doing well.
How come a civil servant will annual income not up to #12m will own properties Worth’s millions in and outside the country and we don’t know all these are proceed of crimes and corruptions.
There is a clear classification of which levels of the society these law enforcement agents arrests and interrogates. EFCC for the Rich and Powerful while SARS for the poor and Vulnerable.
This ex SARS Commander is a bad luck to himself and his family, with the way the world is, making money at the age of twenty years old is as easy as you think i think this man need orientation about this modern generation so to safe him from his encyclopedia of bush mentality and lack of exposure
Just have a few members of the SARS squad profiled with their BVN just from the rank of below sergeant to inspector, you will be amazed at the volume of inflow and outflow of naira between their accounts. The entire Lagos SARS and panti units are all centred around lekki and its environment day and night hunting young men and women whom they take to various cash points forcing them to withdraw large sums from their account. Some unlucky youths who resist the move are often killed. The entire police force have no regards or respect for women of any age, they easily insult you with derogatory words which is a shame. The SARS officers constitute more danger to the ordinary citizens that criminals
Look at this man reasoning with his anus. Some people are below 30yrs working in oil and gas companies with annual income of over #30Million. Why won’t they own a car of #15M? What’s #7M? If you chose the wrong job, is that a reason to disturb those who chose a better option? Nonsense analysis indeed! See how your stupidity has led to a national shutdown and scrapping of your police unit. Brainless head!
Animal in human skin
Sir you are not your self
Good points by the EX- SARS boss but when will police and SARS officer’s will start asking politicians, police officers and civil servants questions how they are making their money because Nigerian politicians, police officers include SARS officers and civil servants are living above their salaries and income but it’s pity that only Nigerian youths are the suffering harassment from the so called SARS, l support SARS and police reform but l don’t support ending SARS because Nigerian armed robbers fear only SARS.
It’s true that everyone has the right to an opinion. I won’t fault you for that. I’ll only correct the last part. Armed robbers don’t fear Sars, they are SARS. Thieves in uniforms that connive with thieves out of uniform. Thank you
This ex sars man or whatever his names are, The guy is completely premitive in thinking and advancement of self development.
Nigerians please from what we all read now, It’s a clear picture of the kind of fools this country Policymakers selects for us as leaders.
Incompetent people who failed to even manage their own family are now managing public.
It is amazing the way we look at things. If you are not guilty of an offence why will you give or transfer money to SARS?. You are flamboyant in your life style without legitimate source of income, why will you not be afraid?. Yahoo yahoo is worse that corona pandemic in Nigerian youth today and that is why they have the strength for #end SARS.
Thank God this man called ex is retired because I know he is blind with the old poverty way of life. How can you can the child of a criminal politician to be okay driving exotic car and a non politician child a not okay to have access to such car. If your eyes are open to a young guy driving a car to be criminal and it is close to a politician that we all know there salary buying and building houses, buying exotic car and private jet far above there salary. Honestly, I am touch by your level of insincerity and God Almighty punish you and your entire generation. Idiot. May your children come in contact with the powerful that will always oppress them. Bastard generation.
You do not see the complaints of being forced to transfer money. Those sars or any police official have the right to request your bank account details, just because he sees you walking on the street and feels you are too buoyant for the status quo he/she perceives you should belong?
This guy is still leaving in the Libya era. With this day modern e-loans for working class, bitcoins investments, you-tubers, online trades and so on, you are doubting someone riding a car worth 7m. If during your time as a youth, you couldn’t because you were so blocked-headed, to learn and see the opportunities in e-business and bank finance capital, the. Shame on you. Mphweeeeeesh, next page pls
Mr sunny its so quite unfortunate that yo haven’t spend your days in the ghetto and it’s so unfortunate that you still don’t k ow what’s trending now which is forex trading the young youths would know what am talking about… Let me stop here, if you know you know…
You are entitled to your opinion sir, but that you will think young people with money MUST be involved in yahoo? God! What a primitive way of thinking! Do you know the strides young people are making in tech companies? Are you aware how much a freelance backend UV engineer can earn? Designing? Writing codes? I know legit 20 something years old who have bought lands and built houses in Lekki, from working on tech project. Now, do we want to talk about entertainment? Do you know how much a Wizkid would charge per a show? Ok, let’s leave a know artiste like a Wizkid. Do you know how many unknowns get to music festivals and make money off their songs on Spotify and YouTube? You are talking of paying makes you guilty, really? You clearly have not been in a police trap. When they beat and torture you, if you are not strong willed, you will agree with them that your mum is your girlfriend! They are evil! That you don’t understand something, doesn’t mean it is bad! We are being profiled in our own country by our own country men! This isn’t America where it is an issue of white or black. This is black on black and YOU think its OK? No problem, continue. May God allow you feel the pain of wrongful accusation, after that come back and tell me you still support this sickness called Sars!
It is simply Animal Farm, my brother. What is good for the goose is no longer good for the gander in our clime. You see it everywhere. Hisbah police harassing poor countrymen up North for “indecent dressing” while the children of the powerful are treated as untouchable. Marauding herdsmen terrorizing innocent countrymen labelled legit business, while South easterners demanding fair treatment on their fatherland are labeled terrorists. This ex-sars commander can profile a youth living above his income level but is blind to politicians having fleet of exotic automobiles in his garage without any other job than public office. Truly, “all animals are equal. But some are more equal than others”. Tribute to George Orwell.
This so called SARS commander, poverty mentality is the problem with you. Let’s call a spade a spade. Your men are killing people’s children because of N7m car. Instead of you to condemn the act you are supporting them. Tell Nigerians the type of cars your own children are having. Since age 20 – 30 with N7m car has become a crime. Your children and all government officials children driving very expensive cars and power bikes, God will judge you people. You did not create jobs for the youths, these are all graduates trying to survive and you are killing them. Because their voices cannot be heard.
It’s true,but not shooting or bribing is the answer, at least a suspect take to police station and interrogate and prosecute not that they will start beating and at the end shoot the suspect,is unfair please sir teach them how to communicate with their suspect in a normal way.
This guy’s (Tersurgh) comment is so idiotic it deserves no comment beyond that.
So the police or SARS were not trained to politely request, or do their homework or surveillance before pouncing on people,don’t let us be angry Mr man,we all know what they are doing and you are also a beneficiary of the proceeds. The fact is that they really messed up.Mr commander how do you explain the wealth of your SARS officers who isn’t beyond the rank of a sergeant having houses and two cars?There is nothing bad in a young man buying or having a car of 7m,the father nay give him or he can even work for it, if your men are suspecting anyone let them do their surveillance or they weren’t trained?Intelligence-led policing is the real thing I beg
I’m not getting it did I hear this old man saying that if you buy a car worth 7m @ the age of 30 is not a good legit money? I see why the country will not do well because the rich will always want the poor masses to live @ the base he forgot to know that some of this uniform men are worse than a highway rubbers harassing innocent people leaving the right people they need to arrest we see cases of poor citizens crying against the injustice been done to them every day but who are the cause of this pains that is the rhetoric question the citizens ask every day
This man should be held responsible, he is one of those that encourage the rot in the police and the SARS #EndSARS#EndPolicebrutality.
There’s something fundamentally wrong with this fellow’s mind and manner of reasoning. I fear for this country where round pegs and forced into triangular holes. So, where did all these folks who have been stealing this country dry get the largese they expend on luxury living? Have they investigated that yet? The youths had better get their act together and seize power from this wasted generation…
A 30 year old man is seen as being too young or small to drive in a luxury car? Huuuuuuuum. He claims that he knows how difficult it is for the younger ones to make money in Nigeria because Nigeria is a dry land.
Na your job..why can’t you mind your anti robbery business and let the proper team take care of the cybercrime thingy. Look at this man, he is talking about LAW but he has no sense of ORDER. And even he seems to be supporting the killing. Even tho they are yahoo yahoo boys so the proper action to take is to shoot ? Harrass and murder? How did these animals get to that position in the first place?? This man should be arrested and prosecuted, I know he has also killed many innocent young men and throw sorrows into many families because the current ones must be taking in his footsteps.
with due respect sir if Nigeria force have handle Nigeria government the way they handled and embarrassed the youths, the country will have been better or is it not also suspicious for a country to lose over $400 billion to corruption???
And is it not suspicious for a country to ranked 144th position from 180 countries in transparency???
I am peacefully waiting for an answer sir
The sars boss is talking like an illiterate that is why there’s problem in the first place. If you say that checking of phones is a standard operating procedures then how many politician have you stopped and check their phone? There are loads of people with illegal money in the country why are you being selective? And at the end of the day you end up extorting money from the so called suspect.
Just have a few members of the SARS squad profiled with their BVN just from the rank of below sergeant to inspector, you will be amazed at the volume of inflow and outflow of naira between their accounts. The entire Lagos SARS and panti units are all centred around lekki and its environment day and night hunting young men and women whom they take to various cash points forcing them to withdraw large sums from their account. Some unlucky youths who resist the move are often killed. The entire police force have no regards or respect for women of any age, they easily insult you with derogatory words which is a shame. The SARS officers constitute more danger to the ordinary citizens that criminals
I quite agree with you manager. We always suffer from intellectual dishonesty in this country. The CSP was only painting a picture that suits him and his colleagues in the police. Important to note is that I love police job.. regardless the failure of different units of the Nigerian police force. If you want to make honest assessment of a situation, it must be wholelistic. How many politicians have any SARS officer stopped or did an investigation into the source of their wealth and lifestyle. 95% of Nigeria politicians, civil servants, and even the police and army lives above their income. Buying cars and building houses. The youths you complain about indulging in cybercrime.. if they was job for him to do, he won’t take to cybercrime. When you live in a country where the political elite only care about their families and friends. What do you expect an average young adult to do. He has bills to pay.. aged parents to care for. You want him to carry arms and start rubbery business. The SARS unit of the Nigerian police has become very notorious in recent times. They all need reorientation
Without any due respect. We youths of nowadays learnt stealing from past and present government of this country Nigeria. So you have no point suspecting a young person driving an expensive car or well dressed. That is not the work or duty of a police man. 😡😡
Mr Man who complain to be sincere Nigeria police officer, let the government goes into your personal savings account if the money you got is baseon your salary. Secondly you guys should start checking the so called politicians in the government bodies their net worth baseon their salaries and stop them and search their phones also.
You need God in your useless life Mr retired old man.
The SARS commander should be the first to ne investigated by the government for SARS brutality and killings cos his statement is suspicious
Mumu generation……. Imagine the thinking, lack of intelligence at play….. All they know is force, torture, intimidate, frame people just to Robb them legitimately because they are the law enforcement Agents huh. Nemesis will catch up with y’all.
I CRY FOR THE COUNTRY (NIGERIA) WERE AM I.
Imagine an educated person talking without any objectives of life….and modern knowledge, of course we are practicing DEMOCRACY you harass me I sue you…but in the case of this Ex SARS Commander I won’t blame him it’s either his not wise or it’s fake blog, how dare you voice such words? 20-30 driving common 7 Million NAIRA not € OR $ it’s suspect ? If ya broke and illetrate that doesn’t mean we are same SIR 7 M it’s just a chicken change as far as NIGERIA is concern
I didn’t address the extortion and extra judicial killings done by his men. I hope we can all see where the problem lies. The SARS boys are only doing the biding of their top men.
SARS are meant to go after armed robbers, kidnappers and bandits not fraudsters. We have the anti-fraud unit of the NPF, the EFCC and the ICPC to handle fraud and cyber crime cases. And I think these agencies and units are doing a great job in that regard. This man should be ashamed of himself for saying young Nigerians can be millionaires. We have various young musicians, comedians, actors, artists, sport persons, bloggers and other professionals that are millionaires.
If you stop me to look at my Facebook….? Jesus christ..! What..? Do you also stop the commissioners and ministers to look at their Facebook chats? A young man cannot drive on a car worth 7m…? Sorry for this country
I thought senior police officers have basic knowledge of the law and rights of citizens. A person caught in a crime red handed is still not guilty until proven otherwise by the competent law court.
In view of this, how can a police man pull over an innocent person on his right of way, perhaps, on a journey or mission, only to be embarrassed by searching his personal belongings. A police officer should not stop or disturb anyone who has not committed any offense in the first place. It is the offense that will prompt the police to pull anybody over. Otherwise, some background or undercover investigation should be the foundation of every apprehension. Many policemen have lost their job this way. That is the reason most policemen are cautious and descend only on the less connected.
Who be this,you don’t really have any right to search my phone simply because you thought I am a Yahoo boy.bro see my phone na my personal property andno be me and you gather money take buy am,I can’t still believe that you thought the policeman of this country are not corrupt to the extent of after there useless searching and finding nothing they will tell you to give them small thing by bro abeg na una bad government dey cause this one,see if all the policemen were all welled played am very sure this sperit of stop there,were is your phone,unlock it,Hangout, #200,000 ,do transfer or ATM or we get pos go stop
In my opinion l think he made some valuable points which is critical in detecting crimes. Suspicious by Sight but argument is why is it that such vibrant antenna can not sense Politicians leaving large above their Salary?
Why are Police men whom we know their Salaries building houses using big cars and leaving extravagantly able to excape the radar of this Suspicious by sight and only the youth couldnt?
There is more to it.
Where do we place the extortion of money from suspects?
Where do you place the harassment and killings of suspect?
When did it become the Police duty to prosecute suspects?
Mr. Former Police man or retired as it may be. ^Swear by Bible or Koran with the name of your children and wife that throughout your service year u did not extort money from people, that u didnt take money that was not meant for u like bribes.
Come out as you have outline on media and swear only then will God forgive you for that which you have said.
Thx
Please let us have a national televised debate on this issue. Let the supporters of the two sides in this matter face off. How a police man in this age can search without regard to the law is disturbing. They took the oath to defend and uphold the law that same law they now violate The officers position is a recipe for anarchy. The solution is to improve the standard of policemen recruited. It is high time to disband this semi illiterate force and uplift the requirement for recruitment. Finally let us have a debate on this issue on television.
See black man mentality!
Ex.sars Commander..you lack wisdom… since you know that police/Sara that their main work is not of cyber crimes.that they are doing it to reduce the rate of crimes..why can’t SarS also help to reduce Boko Haram case’s?? with your conversations above I strongly believe that your under pressure of speak the truth and DIE… Nigeria is no longer available…. look at what you are saying that at age of 20/30 that no Nigerian youths should have a car of 7million? FORWARD OR BACKWARD?WHY HAVE NOT INVESTIGATE their source of poverty when we are poor?The only hope we Nigerian have now is God/Allah…
For this kind of utterances coming out of a retired senior officer’s(especially one in charge of the SARS unit) mouth, it’s highly disturbing.
One will wonder how this man got his badge in the first place. Not only the SARS unit, there’s a need for total overhaul of the police system.
Start with the Police Academy, a new orientation is needed, rebuild this system right from the foundation.
So, dat is why SARS picket the youth to pick their pocket just because they drive exotic cars? What
about politicians, police personnel who have asset far far above thire income, is that one not questionable?
Very sad comments from this police chief. How about the police men,politicians and civil servants who live above their means. How many have you arrested and killed. The blood of all those you and your people have killed would fall on your head. Be sure that there will be judgement some day
The bone of contention here is BRUTALITY HARRASSMENT OPPRESSION KILKINGS EXTORTION..your job is or was to interrogate with due protocol,arrest without violation and let the court convict
Ex sars commander show us your house and cars let’s see if your salary for 10 years can afford the luxury life that you are living criminal like you still have to the gods to open your mouth and say rubbish
This old man is one of the reason they need to end this police brutality, just reading all the rubbish he’s saying shows that he’s one of the reason this country is not moving forward imagine him saying he starts suspecting a young man with a flashy car just because he’s too young to own a car and that’s a crime in this country…This guy need to drop his address so that I can pay him a visit…
If the youths have gone digital and make their money online then you should upgrade your system to be able to detect and nib in the bud crime online. You can’t use physical to fight digital.
And why does he think having a nice car make you a thief? Africa as a continent needs mental renewal.