It’s been a year since the Nigerian Army opened fire on peaceful protesters who sat waving the Nigerian flag at the Lekki toll gate, Mushin and other parts of Lagos. While many of the demands requested from the Nigerian government are yet to be met, the one-year anniversary of the event passed by gravely with many young Nigerians revisiting the real trauma of the past by the police continued violence. 

On closer reflection of the past year, it would appear that not much has changed in the country. Citizens are still endlessly harassed by those meant to take care of them, police continue to use unfettered amounts of violence on unarmed persons,  our leaders continue to steal from our mouths and the rising levels of insecurity are nothing short of devastating. It seems as though the country is regressing further into destitution, reneging on years of hard work by private individuals to bolster its cultural currency through music and entertainment.

 

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There’s no denying that many young people still feel torn and hopeless about the government’s inactions and their continued lackadaisical attitude towards ensuring justice is met. October, 20, 2020 most especially marked a turning point in the minds and hearts of many young Nigerians who for the first time had acknowledgment that their voices and votes did not matter to the very people elected to protect their interests.

As such, this year’s EndSARS memorial passed solemnly for many people in our community. To this end, we caught up with a few young Nigerians to talk about how their perception of Nigeria and her government have changed since last October’s protests.

Micheal  (26)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

To me personally, from what I know the End SARS movement is the Catalyst that raised awareness of what has been going on prior to the massacre at the Lekki bridge. The police are abusing their power on the younger generation and killing some that don’t have the money or connection to make a living out of it. The cycle of corruption of underpaid civil servants then leads them to seek bribes to make ends meet which is wrong.  I wasn’t really aware of the police issues like that because it never happened to me so probably I still don’t know.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

My perception was shaken in a sense, I was worried about Nigeria like I was thinking, is there going to be a war? As for the government, I wouldn’t lie, I fully gave up on the government but not the country. I still have hope that things will work out the way God destined because it’s a blessed country just bad governance.

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free?

The main issue is to confirm who ordered the massacre to proceed or compensation for the families that lost their loved ones there. A sanctuary forum for the public speaking on raising local issues such as These should be placed where it’s neutral ground and there’s no government or private power where the youths are free to discuss and others as well. We might even hear things the police have to say from their point  of view but that’s wishful thinking 

Soraya (20)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

It means freedom. It means this generation of Nigerians are fed up and are ready to fight for their human right to life.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

My perception of Nigeria and her government weren’t good to start with. I was aware that they were wicked and had no regard for human life, they kill people all across Nigeria.  For example, when the Nigerian military killed 150 Pro-Biafra protesters in Anambra in 2015 and killed another 349 people in Zaria in 2016. However, after the Lekki Toll Gate massacre, I came to the heartbreaking and painful realisation that they knew they still wouldn’t be held accountable, even when the whole world was watching.

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free? 

There are so many different definitions of freedom but I believe that at the base there needs to be accountability for what has happened. Individuals need to be held accountable. Every human being deserves to know that their life matters and no one is above that. But I think Nigerians will feel truly free when they know they have leaders that put their livelihoods and safety above their personal aspirations. There are so many corrupt people in positions of leadership in Nigeria and our primary goal right now should be making sure that the right people are getting the jobs. I recognise that getting there won’t be an easy journey as I’m sure we all know it’s not as simple as getting your PVC and going out to vote. Personally, I have faith that one day we will have the leaders we deserve, it might not be tomorrow but it will happen.

 

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Amal (26)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

Hope, but only a very little amount of it. I think the movement showed that you can no longer ignore the young population in Nigeria because we are powerful when united. But we still have such a long way to go in terms of unity which is why I’m only slightly hopeful.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

My perception hasn’t changed, they’re still the same evil people with a demonstrated history of violence towards peaceful protestors. They killed peaceful protestors in Kaduna in 2015 then did the same in Abuja in 2018 & 2019. Similarly to End SARS they tried to flip the narrative & didn’t acknowledge the lives lost. The government was also never held accountable. So when it happened again last year, I wasn’t expecting anything from the government.

Tosin (22)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

Although the movement started as a campaign to end the special anti-robbery squad (SARS), I believe it grew into something much bigger. It kind of evolved into a movement against Bad governance, corruption within the system, police brutality and a lot more negative factors that affect the masses. I would say it was our way of voicing out our frustration with the system, and just letting the people in power know they need to do better. Honestly, it was pretty impressive seeing how the ENDSARS campaign unified the youth; it was kind of like a community free of classism, nepotism and all that. In a way, I would say the ENDSARS movement actually gave me hope for our generation.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre?

Honestly, I did not really think highly of the government before the massacre and now I think of them even less than before. The fact that they could do something that brutal really speaks volumes of the type of people that they are.

Fiyin (25)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

The End SARS movement means more to me than just ending police brutality. Yes, ending police brutality was the initial cause of the movement but I feel it graduated to something way bigger which is ending bad governance. It grew to a movement that was aimed at just the police to our leaders, politicians, enforcers, legislative and judiciary, even at our fellow peers

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate Massacre?

I’ve always loved Nigeria but at the same time was aware of its issues. If I’m being honest the Lekki toll massacre made me fall out of love with the country and lose all hope in the country. It made me angry and at the same time also sad for the country and its people.

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free? 

The primary thing that needs to be addressed is the lack of accountability. Till today we have moved on like it never happened and not a single soul has been held accountable for the carnage, killings and injuries. This is something that will never happen in advanced countries, even in third world countries, perpetrators are held accountable. Accountability for the actions first then we can build on from there.

Tolu (27)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

The End sars movement was an eye-opener as to what the Nigerian populace can achieve when they speak with one voice. As you know, the movement arose as a reaction to the incessant police brutality in Nigeria. It is pertinent to note that the End SARS campaign isn’t merely about Nigeria’s corrupt Special Anti-Robbery Squad. It is also a broader call for social justice from Nigerian youth. The protests, and their fundraising structure, have created a microcosm of a properly functioning nation.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

Although the Nigerian government claimed that no lives were lost during the protest, video evidence as seen on social media showed how youths were covered in blood from the gunshots from the armed forces that were present at the protest ground. The government’s stance is quite unfortunate and is a mirror of what the government stands for – lies, deceit and corruption. I now believe that the Nigerian government lacks empathy and its policies are anti-people

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free?

Firstly, the Nigerian government needs to apologize to the people for the shootings by the armed Soldiers and police during the End SARS protest. Secondly, there must be a total overhaul of the Nigeria Police Force. The policemen need to be retrained on basic human rights and rules of professional engagements with the civilians. Lastly, the government should empower the Police Service Commission to monitor and discipline erring police officers.

Ayomide (22)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

The movement made me proud to be a Nigerian youth. It meant so much to see Nigerians from different backgrounds band together and really see each other as a people deserving of dignity and respect from the people meant to protect us. 

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

I feel like I’ve had a harsh awakening. I’ve always known that those in power had no regard for the average Nigerian, or desire to improve our lives. But I didn’t fully realize how discardable they viewed our lives, or how much contempt they had in their hearts for those who refused to accept oppression. 

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free?

There’s a lot that needs to be addressed to feel free. However, I feel like an acknowledgment of the lives lost is a good starting point. No one desires to be a martyr. But countless lives shouldn’t be lost for nothing or at least just not be erased. They deserve that at least.

Tolu (25)

What does the End SARS movement mean to you?

For me the movement means solidarity. It means witnessing Nigerians from all walks of life coming together to stand for our right to life. Our right to protection. Our right to freedom. It’s one of the very very few things that makes me proud to be Nigerian.

How has your perception of Nigeria & her government changed since the Lekki Toll Gate massacre?

I’ve always had a deep feeling of hatred for the Nigerian government. They are useless and incompetent and honestly, that’s me being kind. But the toll gate massacre showed me that they are actually inherently evil, wicked and do not value human life. And when I think about what happened I get the same hollow feeling I got last year when the news broke. Why should we be subjected to leadership by people who so clearly hate us?

What still needs to be addressed in order to feel truly free?

I think the most unnerving thing is the government’s attempt to act like we were all experiencing some type of fever dream. For us to have watched people die live on social media was horrific enough. For people to lose their loved ones… I can’t even imagine. But for the government to deny it? I can’t even wrap my head around it. There has to be accountability. People have to face persecution. We need a complete overhaul of the system and I worry that’s impossible.

Featured image credits/NATIVE

Words by Moore Wright, Ada Nwakor and Tami Makinde