#EndSARS Protest: 3 Years After, Any Lesson Learnt?
In recent years, Nigeria witnessed a troubling trend in extra-judicial killings, primarily attributed to the disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). This wave of brutality culminated in the nationwide #EndSARS protest, which gained momentum, notably at the Lekki Toll Gate in Lagos on the 20th of October 2020. In this episode of the “Mic on Podcast,” Segun Awosanya, a well-known activist, highlighted the importance of the Nigerian youth’s consistent and responsible activism, stating that
“If the Nigerian youths had not risen up responsibly and consistently from 2017 till 2020, even before we decide to take to the street, there wouldn’t have been a new bill (police reform bill).”
Meanwhile, Ndi Kato, another esteemed guest, commended the government for its attempts to reform the police but emphasized the need for a fundamental shift in the culture of nonchalance, saying, “I would commend the government) for attempting to bring the police closer to the people but I think that culture of nonchalance, that culture of “us against the people,” instead of “us for the people” is still there and something needs to change.”
While both guests emphasized that the issues of impunity and misconduct extend beyond just the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), they however remained doubtful whether both the government and the people have truly internalized the essential lessons from the events of that period.
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