Brief History of SARS
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a branch of the Nigeria Police Force under the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID). The squad was founded in 1992 by the former Commissioner of Police, Simeon Danladi Midenda.
It was created as a faceless police unit that performed undercover operations against crimes associated with armed robbery, car snatching, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and crimes associated with firearms.
SARS has been alleged to be engaged in human right abuse, illegal stop and search, illegal arrest, extrajudicial killings, sexual harassment of women and brutalizing many young Nigerians.
According to a report by Amnesty International, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) continues to commit torture and other human rights violation while discharging their law enforcement duties. The report documents cases of extortion, torture, and ill treatment by SARS officers and the consistent failure by the Nigerian authorities to bring perpetrators to justice.
It highlights the deficiencies in Nigerian police accountability that contribute to, and exacerbate these violations.
Having highlighted the incidence that led to the current #EndSARS protest in Nigeria, I’ll throw more light into some of the major talking points during this ongoing protest.
Frontal Assault
On Saturday, October 10, 2020, what started as a social media clamour has escalated into a Nation-wide protest which was led predominantly by young Nigerians in different cities across the country alongside many celebrities and activists.
In Lagos, some group of protesters had earlier gathered at the gate of the Lagos State Government House from Thursday to Saturday marking a remarkable 72-hours day and night protest which got the attention of the Lagos State Government.
The Deputy Governor of Lagos, Feni Hamzat addressed the #EndSARS protesters assured them that the Government will look into the situation. His promises however fell on deaf ears as the people want action not words.
Man Down!
The nation-wide EndSARS protest continued on Saturday in Lagos, Oyo, Abuja, Anambra and some other cities in Nigeria.
However, the #EndSARS protest in Ogbomosho in Oyo state turned violent as the Nigerian police were alleged to have injured seven protesters and shot dead a young man named Jimoh Isiaq.
Jimoh Isiaq, a student of Ladoke Akintola University Ogbomosho, a resident of Ogiri Compound, Ita Alasa, Ogbomosho was gun down when police opened fire at peaceful protesters who had gather to lend their voices to the ongoing #EndSARS protest.
According to eye witnesses, the police offcers used live bullets to disperse the crowd, and in the process, the young Jimoh Isiaq was hit.
The Commissioner of Police in Oyo State, Nwachukwu Enwonwu denied using live bullets to disperse the crowd but the Governor of Oyo State, Seyi Makinde confirmed that the young man was shot during the peaceful protest.
Protest almost hijacked
The focal point of the #EndSARS protest in Nigeria was to scrap the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police Force and for a total reform of the police. However, while the youths across Nigeria match out in their numbers in protest to end police impunity,The Revolution Now group championed by Omoyele Sowore wanted to use this platform to hijack the protest.
Firstly, he made sure his followers matched alongside the EndSARS protesters on the streets of Abuja and Lagos and online, he attached the hashtag #RevolutionNow to every tweet carrying the #EndSARS message in order to trend.
This method worked for a while until people began to suspect his motive and soon warned him to stop this act as the protest isn’t politically inclined but rather to end police brutality in Nigeria.
Radio Silence
As the #EndSARS protest continues, protesters bemoaned the lack of public coverage of the peaceful protest with many of the opinion that this was a well thought out plan from the Government to shackle the press in order to stifle the progress of the protest.
In all honesty, this was the reality on ground as parents and others who aren’t on twitter or other social media platforms didn’t know about the protest. The following are some of the views expressed by twitter users regarding the silence from the press during the ongoing protest.
You can’t but agree that not televising a protest as big as this was a tactical plan to limit the foreign communities from seeing the situation in the country. Regardless of this, CNN, BBC News Africa and Aljazeera via information and hashtags from twitter found a way to reach out to protesters and broadcast the ongoing protest.
Abuja Protest
Abuja #EndSARS protesters have nerves of steel. They were teargassed, sprayed by water cannons, while some were horribly brutalized and shot at by the Nigerian Police.
This has been the case since the inception of the movement and a microcosm of the Nigerian Police brutality before and during the ongoing protest. Despite this treatment, the collective efforts of protesters offline and online has been the bedrock of this movement thus far.
David Adeleke, popularly known as Davido joined the group of EndSARS protesters in Abuja, this stimulated the protesters whose energy during this protest highlights the average Nigerian youths resolve to end SARS and police brutality in Nigeria.
The Rise and Fall of Hashtags
Just as the youths take to the streets in peaceful protest across various cities in Nigeria, the so called “keyboard warriors” have continued to amplify the protest online through the use of the #EndSARS and #EndSARSNow hashtags respectively.
These hashtags generated international awareness and trended number one in Nigeria, Ghana, US, the UK and other countries. The tweeting and retweeting of these hashtags complemented the struggles faced by protesters on the streets.
CardiB, Kanye West, Bishop T.D. Jakes, Kirk Franklin, Anthony David and other top celebrities around the world responded to our outcry using the hashtags.
However, it was noted at some point that the #EndSARS hashtag has been compromised. This was because it wasn’t trending on the Twitter trend table despite the number of people tweeting and retweeting.
Something was definitely wrong, it’s either our EndSARS hashtag has been compromised or it has been “shadow banned”. Every minute online counts, lo and behold, another hashtag was rebirth from the ashes of the #EndSARS hashtag.
The new hashtag #SARSMustEnd, SARSMustGo was nurtured until it soared to number one on the Twitter trend table in Nigeria, US, UK and some other countries in less than 5hours!
IGP’S Announcement
The Inspector General of Police, Mohammed A. Adamu on Sunday October 11, 2020 announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). Afterwards, he released a memo signed by the Force PRO Frank Mba highlighting the “five (5) things to know about the dissolution of SARS”.
Although this address brought momentarily peace and congratulations were flying left, right and centre. Upon careful analysis of the content, Nigerians saw right through it. It was hollow, and as with all other Nigerian Government promises in the past, this won’t hold water.
Again, protesters were back on the street and the hashtags amplified – SARSMustEnd!
#5FOR5
In response to the announcement made by the Inspector General of Police, a new demand was made by the protesters countering the initial memo released by the Nigerian Police Force.
The #5for5 hashtag accompanied the new demand made by the people as some demanded for an Executive Order to go alongside the dissolution of SARS.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) had previously been disbanded four times in the past, so you wouldn’t blame the people for not holding the Government by their words.
Pro Bono
The standout story during this peaceful protest has been the selfless services by Lawyers all over the country who have made it a point of duty to bail out every protester that was jailed and standby Medical Team with ambulance ready to treat any victim on the spot before they’re taking to the hospital
This sense of “leaving no one behind” symbolizes the new Nigeria every citizen wants to see. The coordination and improvisation was just on another level!
This also includes those who made donations to support the protest and those who are in charge of preparing refreshment for the continued success of the protest.
If there’s one thing the Nigerian youths can take away from this protest – in addition to our demands being met – it’s the level of cooperation and transparency, the likes to whom this country has never experienced before.
Protest Without a Face
It has always been said from the onset that this protest unlike every other before has no leader. It’s this peculiar nature of the EndSARS protest that has guaranteed its success thus far.
Power corrupts, leaders fail, celebrities get threatened and blacklisted; we’ve learnt enough not to position anyone as the face of this ongoing protest.
According to a twitter user, Oluyomi Ojo, he said: “this has to be the most uncoordinated coordination I’ve ever seen…” and I think many will agree as well.
Mayhem in Surulere
Monday, October 12 2020, is a day many of the EndSARS protesters will never forget, especially for peaceful protesters in Lagos.
The Nigerian Police Force opened fire at protesters in Surulere, Lagos State, a man was hit and he died immediately after several efforts from the Medical team on ground to save his life.
According to eyewitness reports, it was gathered that Mr. Ikechukwu Iloamauzor came out of his car to urinate following the traffic caused by the protest when a stray bullet that was allegedly shot by the Nigerian Police snuffed life out of him.
This incidence brought tears and cold shivers down the spine of peaceful protesters and a renewed resolve to match on. They were also reports of police brutality, some protesters were jailed but were later bailed out.
Lekki Toll Gate
As early as 6am, protesters in Lagos converged at the foot of Lekki toll gate in Lagos, a strategic position that ushers workers as well as individuals into the Lekki-Epe axis of the state.
The gate was blocked, preventing traffic from either side of the gate. Army came, police showed up but the gate remained blocked, such was the resolve of the protesters.
Once people begin to feel the inconvenience due to the protest, perhaps they’d be forced to reach out to top government officials to heed to the demands of the youths.
The Mountain Came to Mohammed
After several days of silence during the ongoing peaceful protest, President Muhammadu Buhari decided to address the nation.
In his broadcast, he said “the disbanding of SARS is only the first step in our commitment to extensive police reforms in order to ensure that the primary duty of the police and other law enforcement agencies remains the protection of lives and livelihood of our people”
Sincerely, that was one of the most uninspiring and ineffective speeches ever made to address an issue of national concern. The speech was void of emotion and urgency and since it didn’t address effectively the issue of dissolution of SARS, it was a call for the protest to continue in full speed.
Wike’s Decree, Protesters Disagree
Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike’s address was seen by many as a sheer show of power and disregard of the fundamental rights of free assembly as stated in the constitution.
When Governor Wike banned all forms of protest in Rivers State, he unknowingly invited resistance and he got what he asked for. Peaceful protesters in Rivers State disregarded any ban placed on protests within the state and trooped out in their number to Pleasure Park Port Harcourt.
To learn that the Governor himself later came out to address peaceful protesters is something you don’t see often in the Nigerian system of governance. Governor Wike went from banning protest in the state to addressing protesters and pledging his support against the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in less than 24hours.
Sanwo Olu Match With Protesters
On Tuesday October 14, 2020, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo Olu joined the #EndSARS protesters in Alausa, Ikeja and received a letter of the demands made by protesters.
He’ll be having a conversation with President Muhammadu Buhari on the issue of police brutality in Nigeria.
Similarly, he said “we are also immediately setting up a trust fund to compensate the families of police brutality in Lagos State even though no amount of money can reduce their pain”.
Until words are put into action, the peaceful protest will continue.
New Name, Same Habit
In a bid to show the commitment of the Nigerian Police Force to reform the police, Inspector General of Police Mohammed A. Adamu announced the formation of a new tactical unit called “Special Weapons and Tactics” (SWAT).
This idea was however knocked back by the people who believed that a new name can’t change bad habits. Immediately the #EndSWAT hashtag was used on Twitter to express dissatisfaction with the new tactical team.
Indeed this card has been played before, the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) was changed to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), yet the problem remained the same.
Zoom… Zoom… Zoom!
As was expected, some people will try to lure the presumed “leaders” of the protest. But as things stand, the protest has no leader.
Some Twitter influencers were called via the Zoom app and from what was gathered, top business executives and governors in Nigeria were present on that Zoom call.
It was recorded that they sought to know the leaders of the protest – their aim of course would have been to ask the leaders to back down. But when a protest has no leader, it can’t be stopped until demands are adequately met.
Internet Rumours
There were rumours surrounding the shutting down of the internet by Nigeria as the EndSARS protest continued.
Though no one could verify the accuracy of this information, it is however something the Nigerian Government can suggest. Some members of the Nigerian Government have in the past tried to pass the Social Media Bill to limit the use of Social Media in Nigeria.
Will the internet be shut down? No one knows exactly, but we’re ready for any stunt the Government decides to pull.
New Info from the Tactical Team
On Wednesday, October 14, 2020, the Nigeria Police Force released important facts about the newly created tactical team signed by the DCP Frank Mba.
The #EndSWAT hashtag is still trending on Twitter, it remains to be seen if this new unit will be accepted by the citizens.
Jack of all Trade
Twitter CEO, Jack Dorsey joined the ranks of celebrities and notable personalities to support the #EndSARS protest.
He also went ahead to approve donations made in bitcoins and verified some twitter handles of influential personnel during this peaceful protest.
Anonymous Attack
In the early hours of Thursday, 15 October 2020, a video was uploaded on Twitter which was credited to the Anonymous group of hackers. Anonymous is a loosely organized group of internet-based hackers and activists, no one really who they are.
This group also took responsibility for the attack of Government websites in Nigeria which they claimed was in solidarity to the ongoing #EndSARS protest.
This may not be the best avenue to dig into the history of Anonymous, but they’ve been known worldwide for exposing corrupt government practices in the past. Is this the real Anon? No one knows for sure.
“Thug” of War
Heavily armed and aggressive thugs attacked peaceful protesters at Alausa, Ikeja on Thursday 15 October 2020. It was alleged that the Lagos State Government hired these thugs and conveyed them in buses to harass, intimidate and injure peaceful protesters in Lagos.
They’ve also been similar occurrences of thugs attacking peaceful protesters in Abuja. Many believe that the Nigerian Government is behind these acts.
More updates shortly, stay in touch.
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