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If you don’t have groceries at home, I don’t know what to tell you. With everything going on, it might be a little difficult or even near impossible to order food from restaurants. But hey, na who dey alive dey order food.
2. Data
We’ve all seen how social media has played a big role in starting and sustaining the protests. It is basically the hub of information on anything remotely connected to the movement. Now is really not a good time to run out of data. How would you stay in the loop or aggressively retweet every #EndSARS post you find if you’re out of data?
3. Alternative power sources
More than ever, phones have become every Nigerian biggest companion, and they need to be on at all times. Since the Nigerian government still can’t promise you 24 hours power supply, Generators and power banks have become increasingly important since the beginning of this movement.
4. Bluetooth Speakers/Good Headphones
We need to keep the morale up.
5. A good night sleep
The way I see it, every Nigerian wake up with one goal these days — to end SARS. This takes a ton of mental and physical energy, even if you’re not out on the streets protesting. Don’t forget to get all the sleep you need to keep your energy up every day. Also, it’s all right to take a break.
I’m pretty sure nobody saw the #EndSARS protests coming. Since the 7th of October 2020, when Runtown and Falz announced a demonstration at the Lekki Toll Gate, the movement has spread like wildfire to every corner of Nigeria. Protests are springing up in almost every state and people are catching on to demand better for themselves.
To many of us, protesting is a new unexplored territory. The bulk of protesters have never experienced one and we’re really all just winging it. Still, the nationwide demonstration has changed our everyday lives in more ways than we know. Here are some of the ones we do know.
1. Waking up in the morning to catch up on the latest development
We’re all guilty of checking Twitter early in the morning. However, these days, checking your phone has a new urgency to it. Before you’re fully awake, you’re already checking the latest to see if the government have attacked protesters again or if they’ve announced some other ridiculous ban.
2. Trending #EndSARS with all your might
You know your life depends on it. Every tweet is an #EndSARS tweet. If you relax, small, it will drop from the trending list.
3. Feeling guilty for tweeting anything not #EndSARS
Every now and then, you see a hilarious tweet from abroad Twitter and you want to quote it with LMAOO but you remember that Chijioke’s father was made to wade through a river of corpses to find his dead son, after paying SARS N3m, so you jazz up and continue tweeting #EndSARS
4. Nigerians demanding better
Nigerians are not used to having the power. So everytime, you ask yourself “Wait, is this real? Are Nigerians really demanding better for themselves?”
5. Arguing with older people about why we protest
Very likely, you’ll cross paths with people who don’t agree with the protests (usually your parents). Now, you’re now a lecturer on the EndSARS protest, arguing with older people and showing them facts and receipts.
Other news media sites have also confirmed the development.
I understand some hoodlums claiming to be protesters attacked a prison in Benin. I believe genuine #ENDSARS -ers would never associate themselves with such criminal elements. We condemn such criminal acts in their totality. The quest for change isn’t an opportunity to criminality
At the moment, there is confusion about who exactly broke the prisoners out. While some say hoodlums masterminded the act, some others are blaming it on the #EndSARS protesters.
Don’t allow them pin the prison break at Sapele Road, Benin City on #EndSARS protests. The prisoners revolted & escaped. There are no videos of people going in, only prisoners jumping out.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
As Nigerian youths continue to fight against police against brutality under the #EndSARS movement, there has been much ado the setting up of a judicial panel of inquiry in Nigeria’s 36 states, so as to look into the crimes committed by officers of the Nigeria Police Force.
We need a Public Truth Inquiry into the brutal activities of SARS and #PoliceBrutality, where people just come and tell the stories of the evil done to them or their loved ones. While we reform, whole nation first needs to hear the atrocities that have already happened #EndSARS
The goal of a Judicial Inquiry (or Judicial Panel of Investigation) in this case will be to investigate alleged cases of Police brutality against the citizens in each of Nigeria’s 36 states.
The Committee is to receive and investigate complaints of Police brutality, human rights violations, extra-judicial killings, and to evaluate the evidence presented and recommend compensation and other remedial measures.
On Saturday, 16th October 2020, the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo also stated on his Twitter handle that he chaired a meeting of the National Executive Council where he agreed with the 36 state governors to agreed to set up judicial panels of inquiry so that justice can be served fast.
We understand that you want to see action from us and I’m here to tell you that work is ongoing. I chaired a meeting of 36 state governors and the Minister of the FCT (NEC), where we resolved to set up judicial panels of inquiry so we can see justice served, and fast.
Section 215 (3) of Nigeria’s 1999 Constitution gives the president powers to give directions to the police, which the Inspector General of Police must comply with.
Section 215 (4) of the Constitution also gives a State Governor the power to give lawful directions to the Commissioners of Police in their State, “provided” that those orders may be referred by the Commissioner of Police to the president for his veto or assent.
From the provisions of the Constitution, it is clear that the president is the only one who has full powers to give orders, control and direct the Nigeria Police Force.
Section 3(1) of the Police Act 2020 states that:
“There is established for Nigeria the Nigeria Police Force referred to as “the Police Force” which shall, subject to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.
Section 7 (3) of the Police Act gives the President the power to appoint the Inspector General of Police on the advice of the Police Council, while Section 7 (5) of the Act also gives the president the powers to remove the Inspector-General of Police on the advice of the Police Council.
By virtue of Section 6 (2) of the Police Act, all 36 state governors are members of Police Council which is the highest policy-making body in matters relating to the Police Force.
However, the Section 6(3) of the Police Act makes it clear that the Police Council cannot “organise” and “administer” the Police Force on matters relating to operational control, appointment, disciplinary control and dismissal of members of the Police Force.
State Governors And Their Powers Over Judicial Panels of Inquiry
Yesterday, Governor Nyesom Wike expressed his frustration over the inability of the police to implement reports from the judicial panels of inquiry, and the reason for this is not far-fetched.
Under Nigerian laws, State Governors have very limited powers over the Nigeria Police Force.
Again, Section 215 (2) of the Constitution makes it clear that the Nigeria Police Force is under the command of the Inspector-General of Police, who is in turn appointed by and must take orders from the president, as stated in Section 215 (1) and (3) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended).
Again, a state governor may give an order to the Commissioner of Police in his State, but the Commissioner of Police may take the order to the president before obeying them.
So state governors have limited powers over the police. And even when state governors do implement panels of inquiry, the resolutions from those panels cannot be implemented because state Governors cannot remove the Inspector General of Police or any police officer.
By virtue of Section 215 (3) of the Constitution, only the president or any Minister of the Federation as he may authorise can give orders for the maintenance of public safety in Nigeria, which must be obeyed.
Again, state governments can’t legally constitute panels of inquiry for police issues. The police is reserved exclusively for the FG to legislate upon.
All this talk about Lagos forming panels is “see, we’re working, oya leave the toll gate” but we go law school Aluta Continua
One of the ways out on reforming the Nigeria Police Force would be that the Police Council allows state governors (who are already members of the Police Council) to set up judicial panels of inquiry in their states while submitting the report to the Police Council which is empowered under Section 6 (3) (d) of the Police Act to receive and deliberate on reports.
The Police Council can then advice the president on action to be taken as sated in Section 6(3) (c) of the Police Act.
But anyway the reforms will go, it is clear that the president will have a huge role to play in it. Because, in Nigeria, the president has almost all of the powers over the Nigeria Police Force.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Food is very important to life. That’s one sure thing we all know. But it’s sure that nobody foresaw the importance of food to the continuity of the #EndSARS protests across the country.
Sure, the protests are sustained due to a lot of factors, but the role food plays cannot be denied. For one thing, the assurance of food at protest locations is a ginger for a number of protesters.
Not even Abuja alone. Other locations too. Someone tweeted that it’s at the #EndSARS protests that a lot of people will taste some foods for the first time in their life, and I don’t disagree. For example, if I was at the Abuja protests, I would have tasted beef burger for the first time in my life. But I’m not, so I’m yet to break that barrier. Still, we move.
At the abuja protest today, I ate shawarma, beef burger, jollof rice and chicken with chilled water. All thanks to Abuja Gen Z
Omo but this our protests is do bougee and comfy o. Jollof and chicken, cocktails, amala, shawarma, suya, pizza, therapists, lawyers, clean up crew, zero vandalism, bail and hospital money. Ahahn! Nigerian youths una too do abeg! 30 billion gang opor! 😂#EndSWAT#EndSARS
The protests at Ibadan had an amazing supply of food. From asking for donations to the end result, one understands that people take the food ministry very serious.
Yoruba people no they slack , any slight opportunity like this them go put a pinch of Owambe inside 🤣😂 Ibadan people jollof rice ti ready mehn!!! If this protest push to December oloun ! Them they there the more !! #SARSMUSTENDNOW#SarsMustGoNowpic.twitter.com/cmhFtKcvBK
Food is even being used as an instrument of protest.
That airport road own, I would prefer we take raw food and firewood to cook there, so even if I won comot for road for you, you gats wait make my stew fry finish.
If you haven’t gone out to protest, please endeavour to. And if you cannot go out, please keep tweeting about the protest, keep sharing and keep talking about it. We will not be silent. Food dey, ginger dey, support system dey. Nothing can stop us now.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
On Tuesday the 13th of October, 2020, the youths of Asaba held an #EndSARS protest at the Government House, in Asaba, Delta state, in line with the series of ongoing #EndSARS protests across the country.
During the protest, something new happened. While protesters gathered in front of the government house and protested in the rain, the governor of Delta state, Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa, offered the protesters the sum of two million naira for “refreshments,” a gift that was vehemently rejected by the protesters.
Here’s an interview with Ifeoma Ojeifo, one of the protesters, on what happened at the protest.
So, give us a rundown of events.
On October the 13th, the youths in Asaba set out to protest years of unchecked police brutality for the second time in the last week. They turned out en masse. The crowd was energetic, loud music blasted from speakers perched on pick-up vans, gyrations, and chants of ‘ENDSARS.’ They didn’t even mind the hot sun.
They?
Yes. I was in the office, so I saw them march past my office building at about 11 a.m. and proceed towards the State House of Assembly. I later joined the crowd at Ekwumekwu roundabout, and I was happy we were doing this again, this time surer than we were the last time. After protesting at the House of Assembly, we headed straight for the government house.
On the last protest, we could not meet with the governor, so this time, I think we were more determined to see the governor. The moment we converged at the government house, we began chanting his name: ‘Okowa’. We didn’t pay heed to other people who wanted to speak to us. We wanted the governor and no one else.
Did he show up?
He did, and everyone gathered closer to hear him. Our spokesperson was Mr Emmanuel Udenzua. He was the one who brilliantly presented our grievances to the governor. Cynthia Onoriode Alu and a third person spoke as well.
How did the governor react?
He was receptive. He listened to us and took note of our demands. He even agreed that a reform was long overdue in the Nigerian Police Force. It all went well until the governor finished his address.
Oh wow. What happened after he finished his address?
After he addressed us, those who spoke on our behalf (Emmanuel Udenzua, Cynthia Onoriode Alu and the third person) were asked into the government house. I don’t know what transpired, but the three spokesperson came out with money speculated to be two million naira.
Two million naira?
That’s what they said.
Money for what?
They said it was ‘refreshment money.’
Interesting. How did the protesters react?
The crowd immediately rejected the money, chased them back and told them to return the money. A seemingly peaceful event almost became chaotic and confrontational in that moment. While one of them returned the money, the other two stayed outside with the crowd, pleading and explaining that their intention was to come ask the crowd if we would accept the ‘refreshment’ given to us by the governor. Apparently, our rejection of the money was both a unified and non-negotiable decision. The rain began then, yet the crowd waited for the money to be returned.
Who knows? At first, I found it funny to think that he assumed the cash gift was such a generous act, and imagined us, leaving our jobs and joblessness, fuelling our cars, risking our lives to come share a two million naira “largesse.” But when I read the article again, I was more enraged at the boldness of his allegations than how insulting the whole thing was. It would have been easy to overlook, but this is a crucial moment and allegations like this cannot and must not be overlooked.
At a time like this where traditional media has weaponised silence and shunned all calls to lend their voice in calling out the blatant impunity of the Nigeria Police Force, we cannot afford to let this lie go unchecked. We also cannot afford any kind of journalism that wilfully ignores the truth for personal gains. What Mr Omonigho has done is everything professional journalism stands against. It is both shameful and disgraceful. By publishing his untruth, The Daily Post brings their credibility under scrutiny.
We have seen traditional media underreport and misreport the #ENDSARS protests since they began. While this continues, those of us who observe the truth will continue to document it. For the information of the Nigerian people and for posterity. We will not allow untruths to flourish. #ENDSARS
We have seen traditional media underreport and misreport the #ENDSARS protests since they began.While this continues, those of us who observe the truth will continue to document it. For the information of the Nigerian people and for posterity, we will not allow untruths to flourish. #EndSARS.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Think of SARS units all across Nigeria like teams competing in the Champions League. Except that this time, the goal is not to win a trophy by playing the best brand of football and getting fans to choke with excitement.
No, the mission is to emerge as the most despicable SARS unit in the country by rounding up unsuspecting young Nigerians and torturing them to death, practically.
Tucked away somewhere in Oyi Local Government, Anambra State, Nigeria, is a prominent SARS Unit in this “Champions League of Torture”, known simply to many victims and survivors as “Awkuzu SARS”.
From death by starvation to death by hanging, you name it, the SARS officers in Akwuzu have done it all. And when you keep reading the stories of these crazy human right abuses, you wonder if Adolf Hitler was really evil.
We dug around and curated some of these wanton human right abuses. You’ll be shocked.
1. Dead Bodies On The Ezu River
On the morning of January 19, 2013, villagers in Amansea, Awka, Anambra State woke up to find the bodies of over 35 people floating on the Ezu River. For years, the exact killers of this people remained a mystery.
However, four years later, and in a report by the International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law, the civil society group accused the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Anambra State Police Command of being responsible for 35 corpses discovered in the Ezu River, Amansea on January 13, 2017.
In the report titled “The Untold Story of The Ezu River Police SARS Killings“, the civil society group stated that there was a need to highlight the activities of the Awkuzu SARS outfit following their continued killing of Nigerian youths in the name of fighting crime.
The organisation stated that they decided to revisit the matter following “increasing shocking, saddening and alarming rate of torture and killings of some of not many of the arrested and detained citizens by the Anambra State Police SARS operatives im the course of their so-called combating of violent crimes of armed-robbery and kidnapping in the state”.
2. “We Drank Our Urine To Quench Thirst In SARS Cell”
In a statement posted on the Anambra Online Facebook page in 2017, a 23 young man named Chijindu (not real name), also recounted his experience in the hands of the Akwuzu SARS after he was accused of stealing a laptop.
He stated that he was arrested on February 23, 2017, and that when he got to the SARS office, the N15,400 in his pocket was confiscated, including the wristwatch, necklace and phone with him.
According to him, “When the Admin officer saw me, he directed his men to go and hang me. They took me to the back of a hall and tied me with ropes. They tied my hands behind, tied my two legs and then joined the ropes in the hands and that of the legs by the back, causing my chest to protrude”.
He stated that they used an iron rod to lift him on an iron stand, after which they started using all manner of items to beat him, including machetes and sticks.
After breaking his teeth with an exhaust pipe and leaving him to hang for three hours, he started vomiting blood. But it didn’t stop. They took him to an interrogation room where they took out the two SIM cards from his phone and destroyed it. Afterwards, one Aghaogu, the leader of the SARS instructed that he should be taken to Cell 5, the worst cell in Akwuzu SARS, where inmates hardly eat or drink water.
Afterwards, they took him from the cell to Onitsha, where they said he should lead them to the people he sold the phones and laptops to. At one Emeka Offor Plaza in Onitsha, the SARS operatives arrested four other boys, alleging that those boys were the ones who bought the devices from him. Meanwhile, Chijindu had never met those boys in his life. They also took him to his aunt’s house where they arrested her son for helping him steal the laptop.
Chijindu was kept in the cell from February 13 to March 17, 2017. During this time, he and the other inmates were hardly given food or water, except on Thursdays and Saturdays when some Reverend sisters brought food. In a particular two day period when they went without food or water, some inmates started urinating and drinking their own urine.
When the inmates continued to cry weakly for water, Chijioke stated that they were tear-gassed into silence. Four among the nine inmates would later die, amidst the effect of the many human rights abuses. But the SARS operatives left the corpses with the inmates until the Police came to evacuate them.
On the second week of the detention, three other inmates further died, but two of the corpses were left with the inmates until after a full day. The corpse of the third inmate was already decomposing before it was taken away from the cell.
A week after the death of Tochukwu, another one of the inmates, Chijindu stated that there were moves to bail one of the inmates. He managed to scribble down details of how to locate his sister and the direction to his home in Nnewi with a broomstick and handed it to the inmate. It was through this way that Chijindu’s family knew he had been kidnapped by SARS, after which they contacted some Human Rights activists.
It was through this process that Chijindu finally gained freedom. Meanwhile, when he was arraigned before the Magistrate Court on charges of Armed Robbery, not one complainant or witness came up against him.
3. “My Experience With The Special Anti-Robbery Squad Awkuzu”
In another story on the popular Microblogging platform Nairaland, another Nigerian also narrated his gory experience in the hands of Awkuzu SARS.
According to him, “This is to expose the wickedness, cruelty, man inhumanity to man (sic), extortion and intimidation (of the Awkuzu SARS)”.
He continued, “I was watching Manchester United v. Club Briggs yesterday. All of a sudden the special anti robbery squad came and pushed all of us inside their bus and pick up van. With no proof, they intimidated us with their guns. We were pushed into the cell”.
“Very dirty cell full of innocent people. They have five cells. They kill at random, inmates confirmed that they kill people sometimes in the middle of the night for human parts sale. They torture people inhumanly. They are very wicked and callous. Very unkind and inhumane, please let government look into this thing. Many innocent people are there languishing”.
He stated that he had been bailed with a fine of twenty thousand naira, but in his bail they wrote two hundred naira.
He stated that the only ‘crime’ he committed was to go watch a football match beside his house, and that many people who didn’t have the money to bail themselves would have been in much worse trouble.
4. Social media outrage
On social media, Nigerians have also been sharing their trauma stories in the hands men of the Awkuzu SARS.
My mum and I couldn't sleep so I started telling her some of the SARS stories shared on twitter and she laughed and said that those stories are just advertisement, that we haven't heard the actual horror. She's a lawyer and knows awkuzu SARS very well. Frightened me back to sleep
THE ARMAGEDDON CALLED THE AWKUZU SARS UNDER CSP JAMES NWAFOR.
AN EYE WITNESS ACCOUNT by Bonaventure Mokwe-Dikeh
This is going to be unusually lengthy for my piece but, it is necessary to enable a comprehensive understanding of the modus operandi of Awkuzu Sars under ..Thread pic.twitter.com/DjcXt4hUWG
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
For over a week now, Nigerians have been deeply involved in what many would call the biggest movement to happen in the country in recent years. Fair enough because we’re fighting for our lives here.
Social media has played an important role in amplifying the voices of Nigerians, giving the rest of the world an idea of what’s going on in the country.
I might be wrong, but I think most of the social media action has been happening on Twitter, which is not bad. But if we want more eyes on the movement, we can’t completely ignore Instagram.
For one, Instagram is visually-driven, positioning Insta stories as a feature we could effectively leverage. The good thing is that some Nigerians have created #EndSARS effects people can add to their stories.
Shoutout to everyone that has used the filter to lend a voice ! #SARSMUSTEND The movement continues ! ! ! !
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
A few religious leaders have spoken out in support of the #EndSARS movement since the peaceful protests started over a week ago.
1.Rarely does a generation have the opportunity to lead change as the one handed the youths of Nigeria right now through #SARSMUSTEND. It cuts across the fault lines that divide Nigeria.
However, there are still many others who have been silent. People with large followings who seemingly haven’t heard or don’t care about the movement. So if your religious leader hasn’t taken a side, here are a few ways to get their attention.
1) Spam their social media accounts.
Most religious organisations and their leaders have social media accounts that they use to tweet prophecies and stuff like that. Spam the accounts with little explainers of the movement. Don’t forget to use the #EndSARS hashtag.
2) Spam all the religious group chats you’re in.
We know that certain groups have told their members not to get involved because “it’s yahoo-yahoo people that are protesting”. Educate them on why that’s a lie with plenty easy-to-understand broadcast messages and infographics before the moderators kick you out.
3) Protest in front of the place of worship.
Peacefully and quietly.
4) Protest inside.
However you can. Remember, peacefully and quietly.
5) Educate your parents and relatives so they can educate their friends.
A lot of older people only know what they hear on the news (from compromised media houses) and each other. Let your parents and older relatives know, using proof from social media, what’s really going on out there. And tell them to spread the word with their acquaintances.
Editors Note: The previous version referred to only churches. This has been corrected.
The Nigerian experience is physical, emotional, and sometimes international. No one knows it better than our features on #TheAbroadLife, a series where we detail and explore Nigerian experiences while living abroad.
The #EndSARS movement quickly went from being a national one to being an international one, with Nigerians all over the world lending their voices to demand an end to police brutality in Nigeria. On Abroad Life today, we spoke with a few people who organised, or participated in #EndSARS protests all around the world, and here’s what they had to say:
1. Ife, Canada
It all started when I saw Tunde’s tweet calling for Nigerians in Toronto to protest. I was definitely interested, so I got in contact with him and we started planning.
I want to lead the #EndSARS protest here in Toronto, who cares to join me? Even if we are in Canada, let our voices be heard everywhere.#EndSARS#EndSarsProtests
It was perfect timing because I was already looking to do something on my own. I wanted to stand in front of my house and hold up a placard. We contacted the media and the city for permission, and he designed the poster. Once we got approval from the city, we shared the poster with all the information. We got all of this sorted in less than 24 hours, and because he has a huge twitter following, it generated a lot of traction and interest. Getting permission from the police was also pretty straightforward. I had to reach out to the head of the Special Events department for Toronto, Lisa Yuill. She understood and gave me all the help I needed. We even had police escorts on the march.
The march happened on Saturday morning at Dunder Square. I would say it’s like the Freedom Park, Ojota of Toronto. The turnout was impressive. I was expecting that because Saturday was the beginning of a long weekend (there’s a public holiday on Monday), people would want to sleep in and enjoy their weekend, but by 9 a.m., we already had over 50 people. In all, we had over 100 people. Our protest incited a wave of protests, and I’m super impressed about that. There are different groups having protests in different parts of the country and that’s amazing. This movement is personal for me because I’ve lost thirty thousand naira in one day to SARS. A few years ago when I was in Lagos, I sent my brother on an errand within the neighborhood. He took my car. Shortly after he left home, I got a call that SARS had arrested him. I got there and asked what was going on. They said they just arrested him, and he had to follow them to the station.
“Okay, what did you arrest him for?”
“When we get to the station, you’ll find out.”
Then one of them brought me to the side and told me to look at their minibus up ahead. There were already a few young guys like my brother in there. He said they were all going to the station, but if I didn’t want my brother to go as well, I had to give them a hundred thousand naira. I said I only had five thousand to give them. He laughed. We bargained. We agreed on thirty thousand naira. I gave them in cash and left with my brother.
As long as the goal is common, we encourage people to protest. If we see that the fire is dying down, we’ll go again.
2. Tunde, Canada
My experience with SARS back home: I was robbed in 2013 at gunpoint. They stole my brother’s car. They drove me and my girlfriend away from the spot they robbed us and dropped us off. But they took the car and our phones. For me, it was my iPhone, so I was able to track and find its location. I went to the police and they introduced some SARS folks to me. I gave them the location of my iPhone; they mentioned they’d take care of it.
A week later, they said I should bring one hundred thousand naira, and they would bring the guys out. I gave them. After a week, I paid another 100k. It was clear at this point that they just wanted to keep extorting me, so I stopped giving them money, Why am I giving the police money to get thieves? Aren’t they paid by the government? I suspected that they had found those boys and gotten bribed by them as well. We never found the car or my phones. It was a traumatic experience.
What soured me organizing that protest was when I saw young folks sleeping in front of the Lagos State Assembly. I was touched, and I knew it meant we were ready for change. When I put the tweet out for the Toronto protests, it gained so much traction and folks started reaching out. We were surprised to have a lot of people turn out. Ironically, that morning, a Toronto police officer walked up to us, and guess what? He’s Nigerian! A Kaduna guy. He was laughing and saying he’s glad he doesn’t have to worry about SARS anymore. I am glad we were able to lend our voices. Even though we are far from home, it affects all of us.
3. Rasheedat, England
I tweeted about being interested in going for a protest if there’s one in London. And someone tagged me on Ogbeni Dipo’s tweet. At the protests, the energy was great. Due to the permissions the organisers had received from metro police, we were restricted to a spot. But trust Nigerians; we “revolted” after a while. People wanted to stand and protest in front of the Nigerian house, so they moved there while others stayed on the other side. After some time, the police came to us (I was standing on the other side) and said we should go down the path that’s next to the Nigerian House. I crossed over then saw Wizzy.
4. Afopefoluwa, Germany
I had many SARS experiences when I was in Nigeria, both personally and through people I really cared about. I remember receiving calls from lovers saying what the police had done to them and feeling completely helpless at the other end of the phone. I remember someone I really cared about just crying and crying for hours after midnight after the police had assaulted, harassed and extorted them. That night, I stayed up for hours listening to them cry on the phone. I often remember the helplessness I felt in those moments, how just saying “sorry” didn’t cut it.
Once, my youngest sister and I were coming back from one of those fun nights. I think it was a “90’s baby night”. We were both so excited to be discovering this side of Lagos together, which seemed genuinely like a space where people could just be. We were in an Uber on our way home when SARS stopped us and told us to come down. I often think about the fear in her eyes that night, lanky and tall as she was, and how she immediately went on her knees on the bare ground and raised her hands up in the air saying “Please!” I actually joked about it a lot to her and everyone else because I think I use humour to deal with trauma. But now I think it was insensitive to have laughed about that. It was a traumatic experience and that kind of experience leaves its mark on you.
Before all of this started, I had been planning that my own detty Decembers from now on would just be staging protests. My friends are telling me now that “Woah Afope, you had been saying all you wanted to do was protest and look now, there’s a revolution.” I just think Nigerians have had enough, especially the youth, and we’ve been having enough for a while now. So for me, my body has been ready to hit the streets, and since everything already started happening rather organically, I knew I had to join in whatever capacity I was able to. Also being in a political city such as Berlin, I noticed that people were always staging demonstrations for everything and anything. They are aware of their rights. They know what happens when you don’t speak up. So I started to attend some of these and say to the other residents here that when I came back home this was all I wanted to do. They don’t even get even quarter as much shit as we do, and they’re willing to hit the streets to demand their rights and demand to be heard. I thought we could do with some of that in Nigeria as well, and I am so glad to see that we are all united and speaking with one voice about our future. The protests went really good. People got to speak their minds and air out grievances. It was some kind of a healing space, but there was still anger in the air. There was music as well.
There was a funny scene where the police came out when some protesters were demonstrating a typical SARS encounter, and they tried to intervene because they thought it was real. People also read out stuff. Someone brought puff puff to share.
I appreciate everyone who came out and made it a success. Segun Famisa and Akeem Durojaiye supported us with plans and helped us amplify the event. I would like to thank them as well. Though the people in the embassy were peeking out from their homes and taking pictures, no one came out to address us. I guess it’s because it was a Sunday.
5. Ibukun, Canada
Someone on the Zikoko WhatsApp group posted a picture with different locations for protests and there was one for Toronto. I was really happy to see that. I was a bit skeptical though, because the thing with protests is that sometimes they get out of control. I did some research and found Tunde and Ife’s tweets, and then got a friend to follow me. At least I knew I wasn’t alone, and that the protests were going to be organised. We had to be in groups of 25 because of COVID rules, and then as we were gathering, two police officers walked up to us and started asking what happened and why we were protesting. We told them and then one of them just went, “Ahan, my fellow Nigerians.”e He said he was from Kaduna, and he supported our cause. He assured us that as long as we had our permits, we would be fine.
It was nice to protest because so many non-Nigerians stopped and asked us what we were protesting about and were really eager to learn. We played the National Anthem and took the knee and then someone got on a mic and addressed us and the passers-by.
I think the most emotional moment was when someone got on the microphone and started calling the names of the people that had been killed by SARS and everyone would respond “Killed by SARS!” It was my first ever protest march, and it was good.
Guys please!! Let’s stay focused!! The idea of alcohol, games and all at protest grounds seems too relaxing. We have heroes that have died for this cause. We can’t disrespect them!! There will be lots of fun after we achieve our goal! #EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria#EndSars
As the #Endsars protests continue into the week, some protesters might be losing focus. We’ve heard reports of [some] bad behaviour among protesters. We the good people at Zikoko thought it right to remind us all of the dos and don’ts of a peaceful protest.
Let’s begin:
1) No alcohol.
Alcohol and good behaviour rarely go well. It’s important not to give the government the ammunition they need to end the protest.
I like alcohol but I do not support serving alcohol at any protests. Asides all the other obvious reasons, if you get arrested and you’ve been drinking at a protest, things become a little tricker in getting you legal aid. #EndSARS
We should avoid anything that makes our protest look indulgent or unserious.
4) No carnival/parties.
Again, please.
5) No sexual harassment.
Of both men and women. Especially of women! Keep your hands to yourself and focus on #Endsars.
Quick side note , sexual harassment at protests kills morale. The movement will crumble if our women especially are starting to feel unsafe . remember they constitute a significant number of those on the streets doing work . See it Say it Stop it.#EndSARS
If people don’t subscribe to your belief, leave them alone and focus on the goal which is #Endsars. People SHOULD not be attacked for their sexual orientation or beliefs. Leave them alone and let’s focus on ending Sars.
7) Please, no violence.
Do not damage government property in the heat of the moment. If you see anyone inciting violence, call someone’s attention. Remember, this is a peaceful protest.
8) No spraying of money or display of wealth.
There’s a crowd and we should try to prevent anything that can result in a stampede.
So @mcgalaxyMCG came to the protest at Lekki toll & stood in the sky roof of his car throwing N200 out of it. He obviously caused a stampede and an unnecessary ruckus. I saw more than one person get trampled
This is disgusting behaviour and I hope no celebrity plans to repeat it https://t.co/CAXCTmA0sO
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Everyone has a part to play in this essential fight, and this post is for those who are doing that with their phones. Here is how to be an effective and responsible online protester.
Tweet and retweet #EndSARS aggressively
We need to keep the #EndSARS hashtag trending. With each passing day, it gains more attention around the world — making it harder for the government to ignore our demands for police reform.
Now is not the time to rest. Whenever you tweet, remember to add the hashtag. If you get tired of tweeting, then retweet as much as you can. Also important to remember that one hashtag per tweet is more than enough.
N.B: It’s #EndSARS, not #EndsSARS. Always use the correct hashtag.
Report responsibly
When sharing details of any kind of unrest on social media, it’s important to be as precise as possible. Share the time, the location and a timestamped video or picture if you can.
In the past week, with the rise in popularity of activists like FK Abudu and Mr Macaroni, a ton of fake accounts imitating them have been springing up. They share fake news with the intention of drumming up engagement.
Once you spot one, you should immediately report them for impersonation. Go to their profile, click the three dots at the top of their page, and choose “They’re pretending to be me or someone else”.
Don’t limit your online protest to one social media platform
Right now, it’s impossible to open Twitter and not see a flood of #EndSARS hashtags, but that’s not really the case on other big platforms like Instagram and Facebook.
If you can, share protest pictures, posters and infographics on your Instagram feed and Instagram stories. Do the same on Facebook and WhatsApp as well.
At different protest locations across the country, there have even reports of attacks by hoodlums and law enforcement officials. When you see a legitimate cry for help, please retweet.
There are people working to send ambulances and security to help. They need to know where to focus their efforts, and your RT helps make that possible. You are vital to the movement.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Let’s start with a random day: you’re in a car or a bus, on your way home from work. It’s late. You’re eager to get home, eat and unwind in front of your favourite Nollywood web series. It’s dark. The street lamps are dead (typical). You see the flashlights before you see them, the men in uniform. Your mind is still on food. “Hay God,” you mutter as they start to slow down your vehicle. You know what they want. You say a silent prayer. You start to hide your iphone. You watch as they cock their guns, these men in uniform, and listen to their harsh voices telling everyone to get down. You’re scared, thinking at once of the multiple things you’ve not done with your life, the uneaten pounded yam and white soup in your fridge, and how you can ask for help before it escalates. You imagine the Twitter hashtag. You shudder.
That’s our reality as young people in Nigeria and that’s only scratching the surface. Over the past couple of days, we’ve witnessed something groundbreaking in the history of Nigeria: young people of different tribes, different backgrounds, living in different cities, states and countries have assembled to protest SARS officers who oppress young people for simply existing.
In this time, amongst several problems, the problem of information has been growing and spreading sporadically. False information and fake news is flying around, while at the same time, the news of the protests eludes different sets of people including a chunk of the older generation Nigerian.
What did we do?
At Zikoko, we consolidated efforts to ensure that people were getting verified information at a timely manner, while at the same time providing updates and explaining the situation without the “grammar” that tends to exclude part of our people. We were (and are) providing updates on protest locations, telling the stories of people who have been victims and survivors of SARS brutality and updating our audience on government action. We have been trying to answer important questions: What happens when SARS is disbanded? Who has the power to disband SARS? and so much more.
But even answering these questions was not enough. It was good to temporarily solve an information problem, but what about the knowledge problem?
As an organisation that cares about the things that affect our audience, including how society affects their personal lives, we decided to bring you something bigger.
Enter, Zikoko Citizen: The Police Is Not Your Friend But Zikoko Is:
A long time ago, we were told we were the leaders of tomorrow. Ironic that the same people who ruled us then still rule us now. They’re our governors, senators, representatives and even president.
Here’s where it gets interesting:
As Citizens of a country, in this case, Nigeria, we have several rights and freedoms including the right and power to choose who our leaders are. We have the right to demand better policies and hold the people in power accountable. But how do we do this?
That’s where Zikoko, your friend REALLY REALLY comes in:
Before it even begins to become a problem, Zikoko’s Citizen wants to anticipate and find answers to your burning questions around governance and policy. Curious about what DaddyBubu or Wike or Sanwo is doing and how it affects you? — from employment to elections to health — Citizen will be on the beat.
Think of Citizen as a knowledge-hole. Everything you need to know, broken down, simplified, and visually compelling through the use of infographics and simple illustration.
Gbe body e, AKA action. One of the strong points of the EndSARS protests is that we first understood our rights as citizens of Nigeria — a right to life, a right to dignity, a right to freedom, amongst others — and secondly, we understood our leaders are to be held accountable. Using that knowledge and transforming it into something tangible as we’ve seen in the past few days is action.
Action comes in different forms: from protests, to petition to impeachment to getting your PVC so you can vote in elections.
Let us paint you another quick example: it’s 2023. You’re on social media complaining about how messed up Naija is. The elections are in a few weeks, you really really want to vote o, but to go and be stressing yourself for ordinary permanent voter’s card? Your consign no reach like that. You also don’t really know who the candidates up for elections are. You see their posters around, and you know some of them because they were in power when you were in primary school, but the information is too scattered for your busy self. Imagine a database breaking down all the information you need to know about the elections including how to get your PVC and voting centres close to you? Imagine all of this data available months before the elections! That’s what Citizen will do. It will make the long game easier in the short term.
Zikoko Citizen is that friend that will always help mobilize you to take action. You ask: There’s a problem, what can we do about it? Zikoko Citizen breaks down your options and explains what’s realistic.
You, yes you reading this. Citizen is for you. Whether you’re abroad oh, or you’re in the process of japa-ing oh, or you’re still here, Citizen is for you.
Why should you care?
Because you deserve a say in the way things work in Nigeria and it’s high time we exercise some of it. You feel me?
When should you expect Zikoko Citizen stories?
Monday morning, 9am sharp. As you’re drinking your coffee like this, or sitting in commute, irritated by traffic, there’s a Citizen story waiting for you.
And on Thursday by 9am, as you look forward to the weekend, there’ll be a new Citizen explainer patiently waiting for you to dive into it.
After all the long talk here’s what we’re saying: Citizen helps you understand the problem and how to take action.
If you have any questions, suggestions, concerns, hit us up here. We full ground.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
In one week, young Nigerians have crowdfunded over ₦30 million to feed and fuel themselves as they speak and march with one voice on the need to end police brutality in Nigeria. And when the government tried to block those funds, they moved to digital currency.
Thank you for standing with us & all Nigerians protesting #EndSARS ! Our Flutterwave link is still down BUT you can also donate in Bitcoin using either:
How did an “indomie generation” lead and sustain Nigeria’s biggest uprising in 27 years? Let’s just say: “werey dey disguise.”
Look, this is not an article about Fintech, but about determination. 21-year-olds who didn’t watch Abacha on TV dissolve everything including cubes of sugar are tired of Nigeria. And what did they say when they finally got the chance to be on TV? “Buhari has been a bad boy!”
These are the times of our lives, and we must be on top of the lookout. 2023 elections is just around the corner, and in the words of FK Abudu aka EndSARS Harriet Tubman, “guys, we must apply pressure!” Remember 2015 and 2019, and look at how those decisions and indecisions have gotten us here.
In the next three years, the current politicians will come begging for our votes. And we will have slept at Alausa for nothing If we don’t vote for the right people, our people, this time.
This is why Zikoko is here with Citizen. From now till Jesus comes, we will not look at politics, but at governance. We will look at the elections in Nigeria, and how it affects you as a citizen. The facts, the figures, the candidates, the political parties, the electoral body, we will check all of this, including how your voters card can work for you.
We won’t tell you what you should do. Neither will we confuse you with terms like “quantitative easing”. No, this is simply about how you can be armed with the knowledge needed to take back your power from undemocratic parties and unprogressive congresses.
2023 can make sense if you stay with Citizen. Because at the end of the day, one thing is certain: Nigeria is changing, and we can define what it becomes
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
The right of citizens to protest is protected by the right of assembly, free speech, freedom of association and freedom of movement, contained in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Yet, governments worldwide always attempt to suppress the voice of dissent among the populace.
It’s an act we’ve seen worldwide, in different countries. In India, the government threatened arrests and physical violence against protesters who were expressing their discontent with a new citizenship law. Still, hundreds of thousands of Indians showed up. Protesters continued to grow in number despite the use of deadly force, with the governments’ efforts backfiring.
In Hong Kong, similar threats did not prevent 1 million people from pouring out in support of the movement. The protests have continued non-stop since March 2019.
Seemingly, these threats of crackdowns incense the populace further and strengthen their resolve.
Some governments try a different, subliminal approach. Many traditional media outlets are either sponsored, controlled or threatened by the government, but not the internet. Rather than threats of violence, authorities often opt to shut down the internet, a medium of communication that they are unable to control and censor. As we’ve seen in Nigeria, the internet is the only means of receiving and broadcasting accurate information as they happen, away from the grasp of government censorship in media houses.
In Sudan, the authorities blocked access to Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to quell anti-government protests. There, citizens relied on Virtual Private Networks to bypass internet restrictions.
In 2019, the Iranian government shut down internet services in the country following weeks of protests against corruption, ineptitude and an increase in fuel prices. It was the largest internet shutdown in a country that size. While top politicians, banks and state-run media still had access to the internet, the rest of the populace did not. VPNs did not work either. Citizens had to rely on Toohsheh, a file-sharing service which relies on satellites rather than the internet to disperse information.
Other governments opt for a more crude approach. Paid protesters, who are offered as low as ₦1,000 per person to counter legitimate protesters, have been documented. All these have been done in an attempt to discredit the protesters and perhaps cause violence.
Regardless of the methods governments use to suppress protests, the people creatively find a way to bypass restrictions. VPNs and alternative communication means have continued to help citizens avoid censorship by the authorities. In Nigeria, the sheer number of protesters were sufficient to counter hoodlums who intended to stir up violence and smear the protests.
The Nigerian government can see that the playbook has changed; the people will no longer be silent.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
The IGP stated that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad was dissolved across the Thirty-Six (36) State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory with immediate effect.
He also stated that all officers and men serving in the SARS Unit will be redeployed to another Unit, and that a Citizens and Stakeholders Forum will be launched to advise the Police authority on issues touching the general public.
An investigative team to involve Civil Society Organisationsto handle cases of crimes committee against Citizens and deal with culprits was also itemised as reform plans.
5For5
In response to the 5 action points from the IGP, Nigerian youths replied with their own response.
Under the hastag, #5for5, Nigerian youths replied that they wanted immediate release of all arrested protesters, justice for all deceased victims of Police brutality, and the setting up of an independent body to oversee the prosecution of all reports of Police misconduct.
They also stated that in line with the new Police Act, they wanted a psychological evaluation and retraining of all disbanded SARS officials before they can be redeployed, and an increase in Police salary so that police officers are adequately compensated for protecting the lives and property of citizens.
The Police Are Meeting Some Demands
IGP ORDERS ALL DEFUNCT SARS PERSONNEL TO REPORT AT THE FORCE HEADQUARTERS FOR DEBRIEFING, PSYCHOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL EXAMINATION • New Tactical Team to Commence Training Next Week
The Nigeria Police Force has fulfilled some of its promises over the past few days.
A day ago, the Force ordered the withdrawal and pyschological evaluation of all SARS personnel.
Subsequently, the IGP ordered the creation of a new Special Tactics and Weapons Unit (SWAT) which would do the job of the defunct SARS in the mean time.
The SWAT Will be “strictly Intelligence-driven”, barred from indiscriminate and unlawful search of phones and other smart devices and must be free of any pending disciplinary action especially those touching on misuse of firearms and abuse of human rights.
What Do Nigerian Youths Think?
Many Nigerian youths are still not satisfied with the role of the police and the government in all of this.
Top of their concern is that the Police officers who have killed young Nigerians in the peaceful protests be held accountable and brought to book for their actions.
We don’t believe you are listening when nobody has been dismissed, arrested and charged for the murder of innocent protesters and citizens. Accountability is the first step to change. #EndSars#EndSWAT
To them, they have not seen any accountability on the part of the Police towards prosecuting their trigger-happy officers.
So 'SARSHasEnded' is trending. This is their handiwork. We have only heard talk. Where is the action? Who has lost their jobs? Which police officers have been held accountable? They just changed the name to SWAT and we are not stupid. Let's get the other tags back up #EndSWAT
From the tweets above, it is clear many protesting youths will only leave the streets once they are fully convinced the Government is working in their interests.
When will that happen? No one knows.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
As peaceful protests in Nigeria carry on into the week, there are looming fears that the government might shut down the internet. These fears are not far fetched as the Nigerian government has in the past, tried to ban social media. We’ve also seen cases where some African countries have either restricted access to social media or tried to shut down the entire system.
In a scenario where the Nigerian government decides to go down that route, here a few ways out:
Bridgefy is a tool that optimizes the Bluetooth function of your phone to send messages over a distance. Its advantage is that it requires no internet connection.
We also have this:
Try…
Briar: A decentralized & encrypted messaging app that can be used without internet connection. connection via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth.
Tango SmartMesh :Serves the same function. images, videos and messages without internet.
For cases like restrictions to certain sites, TOR browser or a trusted Virtual Private Network (VPN) is your best bet. VPN’s shield your address while surfing the internet and protects against prying eyes.
To learn more about VPN’s, start here. To see the option for VPN’s available, the Twitter thread below is a good place to start:
Government officials also have access to some of these networks, so, it’s important that you verify the authenticity of whatever VPN you settle on. That one privacy site is a good place to verify the safety and security of whatever provider you settle on before use.
3) Take simple steps to protect yourself.
Try not to access sites without https in front of them. This little precaution can prevent you from clicking on a fake or malicious version of a website. Enable two-factor authentication across your accounts. This might just be the deciding factor between someone hacking your account and you preventing it. Lastly, install the Chrome extension https everywhere to encrypt your communication across major websites as this adds an extra layer of security when browsing.
4) When in doubt, always ask the experts.
A resource like TechCabal is a good place to learn about anything technology related.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
A video posted on Twitter showed a group of men armed with sticks and other weapons vandalizing property in the Berger area of Abuja. Protesters had been demonstrating peacefully when they saw the thugs run towards them.
The video shows them immediately fleeing the scene, while the men proceeded to vandailise vehicles and installations. In other videos, car windscreens and windows were seen being smashed.
In yet another video, we can see a thug apprehended by the crowd lying on the ground. He is said to have confessed that they were hired by some men from the Special Ant-Robbery Squad, which has been a subject of the nationwide protest entering its 7th day.
Earlier videos captured by protesters a few hours prior showed a number of men with sticks gathering at an area near the protest site. They were all wearing NYSC jungle boots, even though they were clearly not Youth Corpers.
The captured thugs were then taken to the hospital in an ambulance for treatment.
Hiring thugs to counter legitimate protesters is not a new phenomenon in Nigeria. In December 2019, hired thugs disrupted a protest against the nation’s president, causing the protesters to flee and abandon the demonstration.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
We found love in a hopeless place – Rihanna.
Nigerian youths have been protesting peacefully since Friday. Their major demands are that the government must end the rogue SARS unit responsible for extortion and theft. With demands largely unmet, the mood of these protests ranges from anger to frustration to even hope.
However, there’s now…love in the mix?
As strange as it sounds, some people are finding their significant others at protests. We compiled a list of people who have been successful in finding their partners or potentials at these events.
If you're single and protested online, gather here let's know ourselves…. and maybe find love like the others that found love in hopeless places like protest grounds. 😁
The most exciting thing today is that in the process of the protests #EndSARS I found someone I love I asked her out n she said she will get back to me this night….🤸🤸👌
I made one guy shy today. We were about to put rice into our mouths and our eyes met at the same moment. I burst into laughter and he joined in. After eating I walked up to him to talk and he was tongue-tied🤣🤣🤣
If you’re looking to help the protests, click this link.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Today is the seventh day of the nationwide #EndSARS protests as Nigerians march peacefully against police brutality. So much has happened in these past seven days. You can check out all the stories and updates in our carefully curated EndSARS stack.
Unsurprisingly though, a major driving force for the success of these protests has been music. Being a universal language during these protests, music has brought Nigerians together in unison to speak against police brutality, and sometimes, just to have fun.
Check out this video from Enugu as protesters sing and march:
If you’ve gone through some form of military training or another, or even NYSC, this song will sound familiar to you:
Under the heavy rain, protesters at Lekki Toll Gate, singing and crying out for the government to #ENDSARSNOW#ENDSWAT.. the labour of the youths shall never be in vain! pic.twitter.com/HcnPYJcCjS
For now, the protests continue and the music echoes. Hopefully the government can hear our struggles and take actual measures to put an end to police brutality.
We ranked some of the best protest anthems here. Check it out!
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
There gave been 9 different Inspectors General of Police in Nigeria within the last 15 years. And while it is always easy to make the Nigerian Police the fall guy, there are structures within the Nigerian Police itself that genuinely makes it impossible for the “Force” to be effective.
Definitely, no organisation that changes its leader every one or two years can maintain a vision.
Under the Police Act (2004), the tenure of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was not specified. Section 9 (4) and (5) of Act gave the President operational control of the Police Force while the Inspector General of Police was given the power to command the Force, but subject to the directive of the President.
The President may also give the IGP any order which he “shall” comply with, and the IGP is strictly appointed by the President who is advised on this duty by the Nigeria Police Council.
No wonder that in the past 15 years, we have had 9 different Inspectors General of Police, most of them serving for only a year or two.
Sunday Ehindero (2005-2007), Mike Okiro (2007-2009), Ogbonna Onovo (2009-2010), Hafiz Ringim (2010-2012), Mohammed Dikko Abubakar (2012-2014), Suleiman Abba (2014-2015), Solomon Arase (2015-2016), Ibrahim Idris (2016-2019) and Mohammed Adamu (2019-) have all served as IGPs of the Nigerian Police from 2005, but it is clear that the tenure of their roles is uncertain. As it appears, you can be removed from being IGP if the President wakes up on the wrong side of his bed.
Certainly, this uncertainty about the length of tenure handicaps any IGP who wants to implement long term reforms within the Police. Add this to the political uncertainty within the Presidency itself and you’ll realise why Police terms should not be left in the hands of the President.
Police Act 2020
Under the Police Act (2020), this situation has been fixed.
Section 4 of the Act states that the Inspector General of Police shall not be removed from office except for gross misconduct, a gross violation of the constitution and demonstrated incapacity to discharge the duties of the office.
Furthermore, Section 6 the new Police Act states that the Inspector-General of Police shall hold office for four years, except he has served in the Police Force for a period of 35 years or he has attained the age of 60 years.
With this certainty of office, we can at least expect new Inspectors General of Police to implement their own reforms within the Police Force, knowing fully well their four year term is guaranteed to a very large extent.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Earlier this evening, the Inspector General of Police, through the Force Public Relations Officer, stated that the members of the disbanded SARS are to report for psychological evaluation at the Force Headquarters before being deployed to other Police units.
He also stated that there will be a creation of a new Special Weapons and Tactical Unit (SWAT) to fill the role of the defunct SARS for the time being.
The new SWAT members will also be psychologically and medically examined to check for the fitness for the new role.
Going by the name, SWAT is a weapons and tactical unit. The name does not really describe whatever job they’ll be doing, but it is expected that they take up the role of the defunct SARS in fight against armed robbery.
But SWAT should not be on the streets like SARS, if it is any different. It must be a “tactical” unit. It must not harrass and violate the rights of Nigerian citizens like SARS.
Either way, the taste of the pudding is in the eating. We await what becomes of SWAT. Will it be any different from SARS? Time will tell.
The protests that broke out across the country asking for the dissolution for the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police Force has now entered its sixth day. Continue reading for some of the major highlights from the day.
In the nation’s capital, security forces came out again to physically harass protesters. Videos circulated on socials show security agents attacking peaceful protesters.
This cast a shadow of uncertainty on how peaceful the protests would be, and for very good reasons. Earlier on Tuesday, officers of the Nigerian Police Force had opened fire on protesters at Surulere, Lagos, killing at least one person and injuring others.
However, the people of Port Harcourt turned out in great numbers and put in a good shift. And if the media shared on Twitter proved anything, the protests were as peaceful as they could get.
Last week, the CEO of Flutterwave, Olugbenga Agboola, tweeted support for the #EndSARs movement and announced that the company had set up a link for anyone willing to donate money to fund the protests.
So many of us are affected by this injustice – @theflutterwave staff have also been victims of the brutality of SARS, so we started an internal fund so we can help victims of SARS and support protesters.#EndSars
News broke out earlier today that the Central Bank of Nigeria allegedly summoned the company, asking them to prove that the funds for the protests weren’t from terrorists. And under pressure, the company shut down the donation link.
Of course, Nigerians trooped online to show their support for the company.
Let it be know that, The government now refers to innocent peaceful protesters as TERRORISTS. They accused Flutterwave of sponsoring terrorism. LOL
However, it seems everything was a misunderstanding. There will be more information in the coming hours.
Contrary to reports, the CBN have been very helpful with Flutterwave on #ENDSARS. There was never a threat to Flutterwave. I want to thank our allies in CBN for that. I will delete my tweets because they were based off misinformation. I apologise for that too. Thank you CBN!!!
The Inspector-General of Police has announced the creation of a new police unit — SWAT — to fill the holes left by the recently “dissolved” SARS.
In a statement released by the police, members of the new unit will start training next week and will also “undergo a psychological and medical examination to ascertain their fitness and eligibility.”
However, majority of Nigerians are taking this with a pinch of salt.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
The #EndSARS protests in Ibadan, today 13th of October 2020, witnessed a very large turnout. The protesters gathered at Iwo road axis, as early as 8am, as stated on the flyer that made rounds on Twitter yesterday.
— Buhari has been a bad boy #ThriveAgricPayUp (@theprincelyx) October 13, 2020
There was a medical team on standby, as well as a team that catered to feeding.
In less than 48 hours, Over 80 individuals volunteered to join the IBADAN #EndSARS medical team. Protesting with one hand and saving lives with the other.
Protesting can be very tasking physically, emotionally and mentally. After a long day of doing the lord’s work (protesting), you should feel very exhausted. Zikoko has curated a few tips you should take to ease off the tiredness.
1. Take a long shower
A warm shower can do wonders for your joints. It also helps wash away any tear gas residue. A cold shower works too but a warm one hits differently. The important thing here is to wash your body of the day’s filth and ease your body into relaxation.
2. Rest your feet
You have been standing on your feet the entire day. Chances of sores and blisters are high, even with comfortable shoes. Show your feet some love and soak them in warm water. After a day of running and marching, a foot massage is recommended. This will aid with swelling, irritation and pain.
3. Eat some food
After protesting, you must be drained and famished. Treat yourself to a meal to regain the energy lost during the day. You can add supplements for extra measure.
4. Stay Hydrated
It is important that you take in a lot of water since your body must have lost a lot of fluid in sweat and tears. Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to have a glass of water.
4. Take painkillers
For the pains you might feel in your joints, back, waist as a result of protesting can be eased with over the counter painkillers. Just take the recommended dose and relax.
5. Stretch your body
A little stretch goes a long way in helping your body unwind. Just take few easy poses that stretch your back, legs and arms. This guarantees a good night rest.
6. Get some rest
You’ve had a busy day, it is important that you rest for the night. Your body can only do so much. Sleeping helps your body recharge and regain the lost energy. This will also give the painkillers time to do their work.
What you do is important and appreciated so don’t forget to take things easy on yourself.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
In Nigeria, unlike other countries, you cannot aspire to an elected public office without doing so on the platform of a political party.
Section 40 of the 1999 provides that every Nigerian shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and the person may belong to may political party, trade union or any other association that protects his interests.
Now, in the spirit of the #EndSARS Movement, you will agree with me that it is important for young Nigerians to be better aware about forming and maintaining political parties. Maybe police brutality in Nigeria would have stopped if our own party was in government.
How To Set Up A Political Party
Section 40 of the Constitution gives the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) the power to recognise political parties.
According to INEC, “a political association is an organisation or association of persons seeking registration as a political party in order to participate in an election by meeting all prescribed statutory requirements”.
Stage 1: Organisation
The party needs a name, logo and acronym of the proposed party, and it must not be similar to any known registered political party or have any religious, tribal or ethnic connotation. For example, you can’t register “The Christian Party of Nigeria”.
The party needs to have a Chairman, a Secretary, a State Executive Committee, and all officers must have been validly elected (INEC must receive a record of the proceeding of the elections).
The party needs to have a draft Constitution, a draft Code of Conduct and a Manifesto. The constitution should contain how your elections are conducted and the administrative structure of the party, among other things.
The draft Constitution must also reflect the Federal character principle of the 1999 constitution i.e all the leadership posts must be distributed fairly across the different geo-political zones in Nigeria.
The headquarters of the proposed party must be in Abuja, and the party must be present in at least 24 states of the Federation.
Stage 2: Submission of documents to INEC
The proposed party must pay a non-refundable fee of ₦1,000,000 (One Million Naira).
It must obtain the appropriate form “PAI”.
Within 30 working days, the proposed party must submit 50 copies of the draft constitution and the manifesto alongside other required information to the INEC.
They must submit these documents with the name, signature and residential address of the Chairman and Secretary of the proposed political party.
If all these supporting documents are not submitted within 30 days, INEC will terminate the application for registration, and the proposed political party will have to pay a fresh administrative fee of N1,000,000 (One Million Naira).
Once these documents have been submitted, INEC will verify them for conformity with the guidelines.
If INEC is satisfied that the party registration guidelines have been met, the party will be registered and a Certificate of Registration will be issued
If all the requirements have not been met, INEC will notify the party of the reason for the refusal.
The proposed political party may correct the errors in its registration documents without having to pay a fresh ₦1,000,000 (One Million Naira).
You can read this document for the complete guidelines on how to form a political party in Nigeria.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
After the tragedies of yesterday’s protest, safety is now a major issue for protesters. Since our government has decided that they won’t keep us safe, we have to look out for each other.
This article will highlight emergency contacts, first aid tips, and services to contact in case of an emergency. It’s a combination of expert advice and information from reputable companies.
Let’s begin:
1) The first most important thing you need to know.
Fear not. Please don’t stand by and watch people die. Something as little as first aid or calling an ambulance can make a difference.
As we keep on with our peaceful protests, it is crucial for us to stay safe too. Hence, we have formulated saline solution to help temper the effects of tear gas. We’d be giving these out to peaceful protesters who need them at different locations as we demand that #SARSMUSTEND . pic.twitter.com/1mVuFWVFlX
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
The protests continue. We move. Again. Find a list of protest locations across the country below.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
In the past week, Nigeria has experienced it’s biggest protest since 1993. The #EndSARS protest is a peaceful but powerful movement against police brutality in Nigeria, both generally, and specifically by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Nigerian Police.
Charged with the responsibility of fighting crime and given the powers to prosecute offenders, SARS has lost control. In the past few years, and probably because of the ease in information dissemination thanks to mobile devices, social media and high-speed internet, Nigerians have told stories with both text and video about kidnapping, rape, torture, unlawful arrests, high-handedness, humiliation, unlawful detention, extortion and extrajudicial killings by SARS.
Over the years, Nigerians have come together to speak up about the SARS problem and over the years, the Nigerian Governments have promised to either reform or scrap the unit, yet, nothing was done.
In December 2017, the Inspector General of Police, Idris Ibrahim, banned SARS from conducting “stop and search operations”, except when necessary.
In August 2018, Professor Yemi Osinbajo stated that he had directed the Inspector General of Police to “overhaul the management and activities of SARS”, with immediate effect.
In January 2019, the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu ordered the immediate “disbandment” of SARS.
In June 2019, President Muhammadu Buhari directed the Inspector-General of Police, the Ministry of Justice and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to “work out modalities for the implementation of the report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) within three months”.
In October 2020, the “Presidency”, the President, the Vice-President and the Inspector-General of Police made announcements about SARS and so-called reforms.
After all this information, you are probably wondering: “If the government has been trying to scrap the unit for years, it must have been doing something wrong. So why does it still exist?”
The unit has been held responsible for so much crime over the past couple of years and the justice system doesn’t seem to be working to put serve justice to victims.
In many reported cases, SARS operates by profiling young people who seem to have some form of perceived wealth, torturing them and extorting them. Many people have told stories of being taken against their wills to banks and ATMs to withdraw huge sums of money. Many killings happen because people resist.
A common misconception is that #EndSARS protesters are criminals who want the unit disbanded so that they can perpetuate crime freely, but this is false. Read this article to see some of the innocent young victims of SARS: #EndSars: Stories On Sars Brutality
Many people have tagged the #EndSARS movement as political. But it’s far from that. Even when Revolution Now supporters tried to politicize the protests, they were shut down. What people want is simple. They want the government to scrap the unit that is killing, torturing and extorting so many young people without cause. And that’s not too much to ask.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Mr President,
you gave a short speech some moments ago the disbandment of SARS and the Government’s commitment to police reforms and the protection of lives.
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. pic.twitter.com/XjQMSr3jlm
But, President Buhari, the Police are still killing protesters! Young Nigerians are still facing human right violations and extra-judicial killings as this moment, the same things they are protesting and complaining about!
Sir, at what point will you call the police to order? When will SARS truly end and the Police truly be reformed?
Meanwhile, young Nigerians cannot be fooled. We know what reforms are and we know what kind of Police we want. But as we speak, the country is clearly far from that reality.
Many young Nigerians want a clear timeline on when the Police will be reformed, when the families of killed protesters will be compensated, when the killers of this people will be prosecuted and when all the arrested protesters will be released.
Give us timelines. – When will they be recalled & taken off the streets? – When will they be disarmed? – When will investigations into their activities commence? – When will their victims receive justice? – When will those still illegally detained be set free?#SARSMUSTENDhttps://t.co/0hPWrTWLPz
We want concrete answers from now on. People won’t leave the streets until the they see trust. And right now nobody does. Even I, don’t.
End SARS Now and reform the Nigerian Police, now. With clear targets and timelines, starting now.
#EndSARS,
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
On Sunday, October 11 2020, the Inspector General of Police announced the dissolution of SARS. However, these officers are still on the road and harassing peaceful protesters.
Earlier today, Police officers opened fire on another set of protesters at Surulere, Lagos.
Recall that Jimoh Isiaq was also killed in a protest at Ogbomosho, Oyo State on Saturday, October 10 2020.
Protests across the country have been peaceful since they broke out– the only people who have resorted to violence are the police officers charged with keeping the peace.
Why won’t the police force stop shooting at us?
The Nigerian youths have been at the forefront of the #EndSARS protest. From all over the country, we have protesters enduring all sorts of harassment from the police force. From being poured hot water and tear gas to having bullets shot at them, they have seen it all. Today, I spoke to Nkeiru, a protester in Abuja to recount what the past few days of protest have been like.
Day 1 of the Abuja protest.
On Friday, 9th of October, we got ready to protest. We headed out to millennium park. I met people there ready to protest. I have a large following on twitter so a lot of people kept sending me DMs on where the location for the Abuja protest is. We walked from millennium park through Transcorp, NCC, hoping to get to the secretariat. When we got to Abia House, we got blocked by five police vans. Some police officers came down and started throwing canister of tear gas at us. Everyone started running.
I jumped the fence into Junkyard. Some people were running into Statement Hotel and Abia house. Some even ran as far back as Berger and Bannex. Everyone scattered and that ended day 1 of the protest.
Nkeiru at the Friday protest
Day 2 of the Abuja protest
On Saturday, 10th of October, we met at Berger roundabout. From there we marched to Banex and then all the way to Unity fountain. People really turn up for this march. When we got to the headquarters, we sat on the floor, demanding to see the IGP. We sat for over 4 hours waiting for him to come. Madam Aisha Yesufu was with us. The police asked us to leave that the IGP wasn’t around but we insisted that we would wait for him.
There was a ready supply of food, water and first aid in case of an emergency.
A policewoman came to talk to us repeatedly asking us to go home but we stood our ground. The police waited until it was dark, like around 6:30 pm – 7:00 pm next thing we knew, they started throwing canisters of tear gas at us. The 100 plus people who came for the protest started running for their lives. It was like a mini-stampede.
Our cars that were parked opposite the road were vandalised. They slashed the tyres, broke the windscreens and windows. The owners had to find a way to fix their tyres before going home. That was how the protest ended.
Nkeiru at the Saturday protest
Day 3 of the Abuja Protest
On Sunday, 11th of October, we met at Unity fountain to march to the police headquarters. When we got to Women Affairs, the police stopped us and started throwing tear gas and hot water at us. It got me thinking about all the fires that the Nigerian fire service did not put out because of lack of water and how easily they seem to have this “scarce” resources available now that youths are protesting for their rights.
A lot of people just sat down on the floor that if it’s just water, they should pour it on them. From pouring water on us, they started throwing teargas again. They caught some of my friends and beat them up.
We went back to Maitaima roundabout and regrouped again with a larger crowd. We went back the second time and they chased us back again with hot water. They chased us as far as Unity fountain from the Ministry of Women affairs.
This was when Davido joined us and he came with the longest convey I’ve ever seen in my life. Everyone followed Davido’s convey as it had over 200 cars. We were headed for the police quarters. When we got there, Davido spoke to them and they released everyone in their custody.
The police told Davido that they have called off the SARS unit and us protesting is against the law. Davido told them that if any of us encounters any SARS office, we will back and that was how everyone went home.
As protests continue and police brutality increases, it’s important more than ever to keep protesters safe. And as far as possible from police officers as possible. One of the ways is by erecting a barricade.
In the absence of cows, here a few tips that may be useful as protests continue all around Nigeria today.
1) The bigger, the better.
Think Lawma cans, tyres, big sticks, bag of cements, sand. Anything that can form a shield and can be gotten lawfully should be considered.
2) Link or connect them together.
For tyres, stack them on each other. For sticks or garbage cans, link them by putting them side by side or wrapping them with tape. Do just enough that they are connected and they form a barrier between two sides.
3) Make sure you work in teams and delegate jobs.
The aim is to work fast and effectively before the police arrives.
As early as 6am on Monday morning, Peaceful protesters have been spotted at Lekki Toll Gate.
The aim is to slow the police down and barricades can’t completely keep the police out. The idea is that a barricade gives protesters enough time to get to safety. That means that it doesn’t have to be the most durable, it just has buy you time.
5) Umbrellas are a key requirement for protesters.
Umbrellas not only protect against the elements, but they can also shield against tear gas canisters.
6) DO NOT LOOT!
While it’s important to build barricades for protest, it’s also important to make sure it’s all lawful and orderly. If not, we lose the plot.
We’re in the sixth day of the peaceful #EndSARS protest, which has gone from being a national event to an international one. Over the course of the protest, some fire pictures have been shared across the internet. On this article, we’ll share some of the ones we absolutely love.
Note: We don’t own, or take credit for any of these pictures. We’re simply just sharing them
Aisha Yesufu, a warrior.
Savvy Rinu, a leader
Protesters holding hands in front of the tollgate at Lekki
Fuck the police.
Comedian, Mr Macaroni sleeping on the streets, in protest.
The message is simple. The flag is flying high.
Wizkid joining the protests from London
End SARS. Lagos, Nigeria.
We are Nigeria.
Protesters demonstrating in Lagos.
Davido kneeling in front of the police in Abuja
Stop hurting the youth.
Even the gods are tired.
As a police officer walks by, protesters raise their voices.
Protesting in front of a police station? Why not.
Enough said.
The boys raise their voices.
We raise our hands. We raise our voices.
Lagos roads blocked with protesters
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
You can recall your Senator. Many of them have refused to make laws that are focused on making the life of the average Nigerian youth better. And as we focus on the #EndSARS movement, I think it is important that we remember our many rights as Nigerian citizens.
This is the definitive process of how you can recall your Senator from office.
The whole world is watching the Human rights violations of Nigerians by the @PoliceNG & SARS. They’re seeing the insensitivity of our governors, senators, house of rep members, Vice President, the President & silence of their children. Dear God, posterity must catch up with them.
A recall is a process through which voters and electorates can remove a validly elected representative from office.
The recall process for Nigerian Senators and members of the House of Representatives is contained in Section 69 of the 1999 constitution (as amended).
Section 110 of the Constitution also states the recall process for House of Assembly members, while Section 116 of the Electoral Act, 2010 talks about the recall process for a member of an Area Council.
How To Recall A Senator or Representative:
1) Petition:
A member of the Senate or the House of Representatives can be recalled if there is a petition signed by more than half of the people registered to vote in that person’s constituency stating their loss of confidence in the public official.
This petition must be presented to the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
Once INEC receives this petition, it crosschecks the petition to verify that it has truly been signed by more than half of the total registered voters in that constituency and if the petition process has been in line with the law.
This is how the verification process works:
INEC will notify the Senator, Representative or Area Council member about to be recalled, telling the person that it has received a petition for their recall;
INEC will issue a public notice stating the date, time and location for the verification process;
The verification process will be conducted at the polling units of the elected official, and INEC will try to match the signatures on the petition to the people who actually signed them. These signatories must also appear in the Voters’ Register.
If the numbers verified is validly found to be less than half of the registered voters in that constituency, then the recall process will be dismissed, and INEC will write to the petitioners stating that the minimum requirements for a referendum were not met.
3) Referendum
A referendum is a direct vote where voters answer either “YES” or “NO” to a proposal.
Section 69 (b) of the Constitution states that a referendum must be conducted by INEC within ninety days (90) of the receipt of the petition.
The referendum will be a “Yes” or “No” vote on whether the Senator, Representative or Area Council Member should be recalled. And if a simple majority of the voters registered to vote in that official’s constituency vote “Yes”, the elected official stands recalled.
The Chairman of INEC must send a Certificate of Recall to the Senate President, Speaker of the House of Representatives or the Chairman of an Area Council to effect the recall.
We hope you’ve learned a thing or two about how to unfuck yourself when the Nigerian government moves mad. Check back every weekday for more Zikoko Citizen explainers.
The #SARSMustEnd protests have entered another day, and it’s another opportunity to make our voice heard. Here is a list of protests locations across Nigeria on October 12, 2020.
Lagos State
1. Location: Oshodi Local Government Secretariat
Time: 9 AM
2. Location: Epe/Ita-Opo
Time: 9 AM
3. Location: Mushin/Ojuwoye market
Time: 10 AM
4. Location: Surulere Roundabout
Time: 10 AM
5. Location: Ebutte Meta Bus Stop
Time: 10 AM
Kano State
Location: Ado Bayero Mall, Kano
Time: 9 AM
Rivers State
Location: Wellness Bus Stop, Port Harcourt
Time: 9 AM
Anambra State
Location: Onitsha/DMGS Roundabout
Time: 10 AM
Ogun State
1. Location: Kuto Garage, Abeokuta
Time: 10 AM
2. Location: Pansheke, Abeokuta
Time: 9 AM
Oyo State
Location: Oroki Junction, Ibadan
Time: 10 AM
Ebonyi State
Location: Abakaliki Township Stadium
Time: 10 AM
Kwara State
Location: Challenge, Ilorin
Time: 9 AM
Niger State
Location: Obasanjo Complex Roundabout
Time: 10 AM
Plateau State
Location: National Library Roundabout, Jos
Time: 10 AM
Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Earlier this afternoon, the Nigeria Police Force tweeted that SARS has been dissolved.
In 5 points, the Public Relations Officer of the Nigerian Police Force, Frank Mba, stated that SARS has been dissolved in the 36 state commands with immediate effect and that all men serving in the Unit will be redeployed to other Police Commands, Formations and Units.
He also stated that a new policing arrangement for tackling Armed-Robbery and other violent crimes will be unveiled soon, a Citizens and Strategic Stakeholders Forum will be launched, and an investigative team will be set up to deal with the reports of crimes committed against citizens.
Now, Let’s Break It Down:
1. Don’t Trust The IGP
First, it is important to shamelessly plug that this is not the first time SARS have been reformed (or acclaimed to have been reformed). So, what is the assurance that this “dissolution” will work?
The way it appears (since 2017), the Police Force Headquarters itself cannot properly control this officers. And this is why everytime the IGP makes an order about a new SARS reform, you hear that SARS officers are still terrorising citizens somewhere, at almost the same time.
They said they’ve disbanded SARS yet the police is still beating up protesters and arresting them even as we speak. Stop lying to us. #EndSARS
Secondly, what is that number 2? I mean the second point? It reads:
“All officers and men serving in the Unit will be redeployed to other Police Commands, Formations and Units”.
Is the IGP whyning us?
SARS officials will be redeployed to other units? So what will they be going there? Playing Ludo with citizens? Of course, they’ll continue what they used to do before! Robbing and extorting Nigerians.
What I would have thought the IGP would have ordered was that every State Police Command will be ordered to conduct an assessment of the SARS operatives im their command, grade each of them on past records/performances and deal with the “bad eggs”, after which the fairly responsible ones can be further retrained before being deployed to another unit.
You don’t just take a SARS officer and put him another unit. The man hasn’t changed. Omo, once a SARS always a SARS, I think.
3. Do The Police Feel Remorseful?
Remorse is an important thing, and it helps us determine if the Police are truly sorry for their actions over the years.
But in this new order, you can hardly find remorse in it. Is the Nigerian Police really ready to reform itself and stop terrorising Nigerians even more than the criminals they are supposed to protect? I really don’t think so.
In fact, there’s nothing in 5 point memorandum that makes me think so.
WHAT MANY PEOPLE WANT
To many Nigerians, this directive is just another false alarm. The Police have issues many (many) statements on SARS reforms, and this particular statement is no different.
Until we hear it from the President, see it in an official order from him, and until SARS officers leave the streets, we won't believe it, and we won't believe it will stick, and we won't stop.
What I think will truly show that the message of young Nigerians has clearly been passed across is a clear statement from everyone in the Muhammadu Buhari Administration admitting that yes, the Police have failed and that SARS will be banned while proper police reforms will happen within the next three to six months.
The President can decide to make a broadcast (which is better), and some sort of Executive order must be signed to show that SARS as a Police unit is ended.
Crowdsourced list of demands so far: – Executive Order from President – Timeline for SARS operatives to hand over ID cards, weapons + Proof of handover process – Release of all protesters – Publicly available audit of all civilian arrests by SARS #EndSarsNow#EndSarsProtests
But look, nobody has to strictly follow any of the processes above. We’re tired of audio reforms. SARS must end, and the Government must reform the Police. Seriously.
If there’s any information you think is important for us to cover ASAP, please let us know.
Most of people involved in the protests are young, and it’s because they’re the most affected by SARS, but we decided to ask the older people what they think about the movement.
1. Tola, early 60s
Well, I’m a citizen of Nigeria, so I believe in the right to peacefully protest. The thing is, in situations like these, hoodlums take over and it gets really violent and that’s what I’m afraid of. You might not believe me, but SARS has stopped me a few times. I look younger than my age. They’d ask me who owns the car and I’d tell them but it has never gotten aggressive. I imagine that it’s worse for young people. These people don’t know that things have changed and young people make money in much easier ways than we used to in our time so they’ll probably be angry if they saw a young guy with a car, looking nice.
The thing with the military and armed forces in Nigeria is that they all need one form of reform or another. If we’re trying to say “End SARS”, we should also probably say “End police” or “End the military”. Recently I heard that some soldiers raped a girl at a road block in Ondo State. We can’t say “End the military”. SARS definitely needs to be reformed and reoriented, and not ended, just like many other military bodies in Nigeria.
2. Biola, 53
It’s with this outbreak I found out that SARS harasses, exploits and kills young people. I thought they were this special unit that is effective in covet operations and taking down criminals and people associated with criminals. I was shocked when my daughter told me about them and how they operate. Has it now become a crime to be young in Nigeria?
Amidst all of this though, what is at the top of my mind is that if this thing is so serious, why is the media not covering it? Are they being told not to talk about it?
3. Peter, 57
I understand what these young people are suffering. In 1994, shortly before I got married, I had my own experience with SARS. It wasn’t so pleasant. Moving around, I’ve also seen some boys get harassed, but I thought it was just extortion. I didn’t know they were killing people as well. That’s terrible.
4. Uche, 58
I heard about it but it’s not really my business. If they want to protest, they should protest. Me I just came back from church and all that’s on my mind is what I’m going to eat.
5. Thomas, 58
It is sheer arrogance, insanity, and power-drunkenness that will make you kill a fellow human being. I know that when they were introduced, SARS was instrumental in curbing the endemic that was prevalent at the time. Kudos to them for that. But over the years, they’ve grown wings. They think they’re gods now. And it’s because they have the power to detain, investigate and prosecute people. Yahoo yahoo is a crime, yes. But are the punishments not specified in our penal codes?
My take? Don’t end SARS, reform it. The scrapping of SARS at this time will create a flourishing market for cybercrime operators. Being a very technical and specialized crime, it will require the deployment of new officers that would have to be properly trained in this field of crime detection. If the government decides to scrap SARS, those who are going to perform their functions, will they not be Nigerians? For as long as those who will take over from SARS will be Nigerians, it is delusional to expect complete institutional transformation. Like every rotten system and institution in Nigeria, what should be done to SARS is a reformative overhaul of the Unit that will purge it of all its iniquities.
In the reform process, those among them whose records of performance are scandalous, disgraceful, damaging and below par should be dismissed summarily. Those with manageable records of several warnings and reprimands can be given orderly room trials to determine their post-reprimand behaviour. Those with excellent professional records and no misdemeanours should be retained and motivated with career palliatives and commendation letters.
6. Lekan, mid 50s
I recently read somewhere that anyone who isn’t joining people to condemn SARS right now has never experienced them, and does not have family meembers who have experienced them. It’s true. These SARS people have made themselves gods. They are a huge problem, and I love the fact that young people are going out to protest. I have heard so, so many true stories about innocent victims of these people, so I know they’re a problem.
During service today, there were peaceful protesters moving around the church, and suddenly SARS operatives came with tear gas and started smoking the entire place up. We had to end service because church was filled with tear gas. And these protesters were peaceful o. The police needs to be more mature. They have a job to protect us, and if they can’t they need to be ended.
7. Mr. T, 51
The concept of SARS is not terrible. Nigeria made it terrible. I have done a lot of interstate road travelling and I have seen seen a lot of SARS harassments. Nigerians have the right to protest peacefully, and I’m proud they’re doing just that.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, following days of widespread protests across the country.
Now that SARS has been dissolved, this is our we hit the street next without fear of oppression and intimidation from SARS! Congratulations Nigerians but the biggest war is against corruption which is far from being over!! #ENDSARSpic.twitter.com/lzSaMdQgwb
6. We’ve heard this before. And there are receipts
This is from January 2019, almost 2 years ago. So, a disbandment, dissolution or whatnot announced by the IGP should be taken with a pinch of salt. Especially when he isn't taking the harder steps of releasing people and dismissing/prosecuting criminal officers #EndSARSpic.twitter.com/PBDPP24u0i
"A new policing arrangement for tackling the offences of Armed-Robbery […] will be unveiled to the public soon"
aka SARS version 2.0.
You ain't fooling anyone with this. WE DON'T WANT any "new arrangement" because you will still find a way to weaponize it against us. https://t.co/gDikA0BF5S
I’m sorry – but the IG should be resigning, not addressing a press conference. The president should be announcing the resignation or sack of the IGP, apologizing to Nigerians, and communicating the scrapping of SARS
#EndSARS isn’t just about announcing that the organisation has been “disbanded”. We need more specific information about what the plans are. Don’t stop protesting yet!
