#EndSARS ideals, heroes should not be forgotten

myDelsu News Staff 2

257 4 minutes read

TWO YEARS have passed, but memories of THE huge youth protest movement labeled #EndSARS against decades of brutality by the Nigerian Police that climaxed with deaths at the Lekki Tollgate Plaza in Lagos are still vivid in people’s minds. Young people all around the nation have gone to the streets in nonviolent protest of the routine abuse they faced at the hands of law enforcement. After many days of demonstrations being taken over by hoodlums and petty criminals, the Nigerian Army and armed police officers opened fire on a crowd of young people who had gathered peacefully at the toll plaza. When the dust settled, many people were dead, others were hurt, and the townspeople were traumatized. Remembering the bravery of those who died during that movement is essential.

The #EndSARS campaign resounded throughout the world, drawing attention to the misery of young Nigerians and shining a light on the harsh administration of President Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.) and the callousness of Nigerian politicians. Protests began in Lagos and quickly expanded to other major cities throughout Nigeria.

The trauma is ongoing; exact numbers of those killed during the demonstrations, the catastrophic climax at Lekki on October 20, 2020, and the subsequent violent riots are still up for debate. But many were killed; innocent bystanders in Lekki and other areas were run over. Criminals took advantage of widespread fury to launch attacks against police facilities, jails, public and private structures, and the lives of law enforcement officials.

The Buhari dictatorship and the governing party have made vigorous efforts to criminalize the young and the demonstrations, to downplay deaths, and to cover up the savage state reaction. They were doomed from the start thanks to the efforts of established national and international news organizations.

The authorities found social media’s role in showcasing the protests’ complaints, trajectory, and responses particularly irritating. Days into the demonstration, Quartz Africa reported that the hashtag #EndSARS had already been retweeted 26 million times on Twitter alone, much to the chagrin of the authorities, which had already banned the site in the nation.

Citizens must always insist, via all authorized means, on their right to liberty, basic freedoms, the right to justice, accountability by public servants, and the enjoyment of democracy and good governance. Everyone has the right to peaceful assembly, which includes sit-ins, strikes, demonstrations, and protests, according to the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. According to the non-governmental organization Open Society Foundations, “protests are a catalyst for social change, and vital for citizen involvement in a pluralistic democracy.”

It’s unfortunate that Buhari and his regime’s agents don’t understand the rules of democracy. Repression and hostility toward the media have been their responses to demonstrations.

After forcibly putting down the demonstrations, the government conceded to some of the requests, including greater welfare and pay for police and the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, the infamous police group blamed for untold crimes against Nigerians, particularly the young. Moreover, it mandated the creation of judicial committees of investigation in each state to determine the root of the problem.

But it hasn’t fully addressed other issues, either: it hasn’t done anything to reform the police, and it hasn’t punished the SARS personnel as a whole, save from prosecuting a small number of them. Some states, such as Lagos, have paid out compensation to the families of fallen police personnel, but those of the civilians who were murdered or brutalized have been mostly forgotten.

The nation paid a hefty price for the protest hijacking and the harsh reaction from the administration. Criminals murdered about 22 police officers. According to Buhari, 51 civilians, 11 police officers, and 7 troops were among the 69 fatalities. The exact number of deaths in Lekki is still a point of contention. According to the Lagos judicial panel, nine people were killed out of a total of 46 unarmed demonstrators shot. However, eyewitnesses and major worldwide media outlets reported numbers between 11 and 30 dead. The state administration, however, denied that anybody was killed at Lekki.

The Financial Derivatives Company, located in Lagos, estimated the monetary cost to be N1.5 trillion, which is equivalent to 1.03 percent of national GDP or 11.47 percent of the 2021 budget. The present police force size is 370,000, although the government has pledged to boost that number by 50,000 by 2025.

This war has just just begun. After just a few weeks of restraint, police officers around the nation have resumed their repressive, extortionate, and violent practices despite the fact that SARS has been formally abolished. Some cops have grown even more brutal in response to the demonstrations out of spite. Those who are found out and reported to the authorities are usually met with severe punishment, including dismissal. However, the issue is widespread and systematic. We need to completely restructure the police force. Reforms need to be initiated by Buhari, the Police Service Commission, and the Inspector General of the Police.

There are still at least 32 #EndSARS protestors doing time in jail two years after the first demonstration. Oyo State is holding nine demonstrators while Ikoyi and Kirikiri prisons in Lagos have 23. Criminals should be freed unless they have committed serious crimes like burglary, arson, or robbery. Those who have solid criminal charges should face prosecution without delay.

The Nigerian Constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights both protect the freedoms of speech and assembly. The police have a similar obligation to protect public gatherings under the Police Establishment Act of 2020. The need of a police permission for demonstrations in Nigeria is now deemed unlawful by a judgement from the Court of Appeal. However, permits are still required by the police.

Despite facing an unfavorable climate, an unemployment rate of over 50%, and police violence, young people should never give up. Iranian youth and women are today daring the ruthless authority of mullahs to demand basic freedoms, just as young people in South Korea were the spearhead of mass movements that overturned years of military dictatorship.

We must never forget the heroes of #EndSARS, particularly those who were injured or forced into exile. To achieve justice and the right to live in dignity, the young of Nigeria, and all Nigerians, must constantly use any and all nonviolent measures at their disposal.

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