If you’re Nigerian or keep up with Nigerian news, you are definitely no stranger to what’s going on right now. However, I’m writing this in the hopes that even one person who hasn’t seen this yet learns about it, and shares / amplifies the message even more.
I won’t be going into depth about what SARS is and what the protests have been about. I will be dropping excerpts from articles from all over the internet, and then linking to those posts so you can read and learn more about what is currently going on in Nigeria!
For two weeks, Nigeria has been rocked by protests that erupted against police violence and evolved into broader anti-government demonstrations, leading to a deadly crackdown.
Aljazeera
Young people mobilising through social media began staging demonstrations calling for the abolition of the federal Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), which has long been accused of unlawful arrests, torture and extrajudicial killings.
The hashtag #EndSARS has been trending not just in Nigeria but across the world for several days.
People have died in different parts of Nigeria since the start of the peaceful protests, as the police unleashed violence on them. Yesterday, things took the worst turn at one of the most peaceful protest locations in Lagos.
An on-the-ground investigation by Amnesty International has confirmed that the Nigerian army and police killed at least 12 peaceful protesters yesterday at two locations in Lagos. The killings took place in Lekki and Alausa, where thousands were protesting police brutality as part of the #EndSars movement.
Amnesty Org
Evidence gathered from eyewitnesses, video footage and hospital reports confirm that between 6:45pm and 9:00pm on Tuesday 20 October, the Nigerian military opened fire on thousands of people who were peacefully calling for good governance and an end to police brutality.
Witnesses at the Lekki protest grounds told Amnesty international that solders arrived at about 6:45pm local time on Tuesday evening, and opened fire on #EndSars protesters without warning. Eyewitnesses at Alausa protest ground said they were attacked by a team of soldiers and policemen from the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) Unit at about 8:00 pm, leaving at least two people dead and one critically injured.
If you’re wondering why these articles link to international media organizations, it’s because our local news outlets have basically abandoned us, as they are under the thumb of the government. They have been spreading fake news and giving the protests little to no coverage. Worthy mention goes out to Arise TV, who have done the work towards getting verified and non watered down news out there.
Head to your social media channels and search the hashtag #EndSARS to find out more.
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