Here’s how you can continue the #EndSARS protests from home

Posted on by The Native

The ongoing #EndSARS protests have taken a turn for the worst after weeks of young Nigerians protesting against inadequate governance and police brutality. We’ve watched in horror as anti-SARS protesters and alleged sponsored thugs swarm peaceful demonstrations which led to the local governments calling for a state of emergency in both Lagos and Edo States. We’ve seen people we know and love get falsely imprisoned for exercising their right to protest and others injured and worse, killed for daring to challenge years of failed government from our elected leaders.

The youth of Nigeria are tired and many of our demands are still yet to be met. Following the lockdown enacted by the Edo state government after convicts were let loose from a prison in Sapele Benin City yesterday, the Lagos state government has now followed suit and enacted a 24-hour curfew after unrest in the city today. This comes after news that mischief-makers had burnt down a police station at Orile Igamu where there were no #EndSARS protests scheduled to hold.

Regardless, they have now succeeded in ensuring that no further protests be held in Lagos as the 24-hour curfew seems to be scheduled indefinitely. But this doesn’t mean we should stop applying pressure to ensure we get what we want, and we will, by taking the #EndSARS protests online. The motive is to amplify and get the message out using the #EndSARS hashtag online. No matter where we are, we can keep the momentum going to ensure that our voices are heard and our demands are met. So here are some ways you can get involved with the protests from the safety of your home.

Engage with the #EndSARS hashtag online

You can join the protests online by making sure you tweet, retweet, like, and amplify all tweets with the hashtag. International publications like The Guardian are monitoring this hashtag to amplify the message to the world.

Donate! Donate! Donate!

The Feminist Coalition is crowdfunding for donations to help #EndSARS protesters around the country and with the level of violence people are facing on the frontline, donating to the cause would go a long way to ensuring that their medical and legal bills are taken care of. You can also donate directly to the Abuja protesters here.

Educate your parents/family

Many of the older generation have refused to hear the cries of young Nigerians who are the main victims of harmful profiling by the rogue SARS unit and the Nigerian police. With traditional media channels which they are typically tuned into, painting a less than accurate picture of what exists, many of the older generation are not privy to the well-detailed, fact-checked information coming from new media houses. Now is the best time to educate them and show them the stories of those whose lives have been gravely altered by the Nigerian police.

 

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Read the stories of Nigerians affected by police brutality

Young Nigerians are doing an excellent job of recording and documenting the injustices that they have had to face in the hands of SARS and the Nigerian police. You can now visit gist.digital and endsars.com as well as soresoke radio for live accounts on police brutality. Don’t forget to amplify this message.

Sign petitions

There are a number of petitions now circulating to gain the attention of international bodies to intervene or enact sanctions on Nigeria for the harm and injustice it has caused to its citizens. We will continue to update this post with more petitions as time goes on.

Featured image credits/Feminist.co

Tweet me any leads from #EndSARS protests in Lekki @tamimak_

ICYMI: Protests continue in Lagos despite Lagos State imposed curfew

Nigerian military opens fire on peaceful protestors at Lekki toll gate

Posted on by The Native

Earlier today, the Governor of Lagos state, Jide Sanwoolu declared a 24-hour curfew, effective from 4pm today. The curfew meant that the #EndSARS protests happening in Lagos would come to a halt, after violent attacks from thugs and hoodlums masked as protestors posed a threat to citizens’ security. Regardless of this, some peaceful protestors decided to continue their mission and take up space at the Lekki toll gate.

These brave young Nigerians remained adamant as they continue to demonstrate against the oppression of young people by the police. They were seen waving the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem, minutes before everything went awry.

At 6:44 PM, Nollywood actress, Omoni Oboli tweeted “they are shooting at the peaceful protesters at Lekki toll. Please help.” which set alarm bells going on the Internet. Shortly after, videos of the incident started to flood social media, with clear view of a military squad opening fire from a distance at peaceful protestors.

Shortly after at 7 pm, the Lagos State Government announced that the curfew had been shifted until 9 pm, to enable people who would get stuck in inevitable traffic get to their destinations.

Social media has remained a useful tool for young people to speak up against the dehumanising atrocities, and shortly after cameras at the Lekki Toll gate were disconnected and removed, and street lights switched off, we saw via Instagram Live that there was unrest at the scene following the Nigerian military’s attack.

In these videos, we see people who have been freshly shot being attended to by other civilians in a bid to save their lives. We also see a bloodied Nigerian flag, showing evidence of the bloodshed at the scenes. It is important to note that given that the state government had extended the curfew to 9pm, there was absolutely no justification for the military to open fire on innocent protestors.

FK Abudu, shared via Twitter that the ambulance services had been blocked from getting into the toll gate area to help those who have been hurt and possibly killed by the Nigerian military. They have now been let in, and people have been taken away from the scene, and more are on the way to help. We must never forget that several people have been reportedly shot, with an unconfirmed number of deaths from these shootings by the Nigerian Military led by General F.O Omata.

It is believed that the army are making their way to disrupt the protests at Alausa. Please head home if you are there!

This story is developing and will be updated with more information.

Featured Image Credits: Twitter

Governor of Lagos State imposes 24 hour lockdown on citizens

Posted on by The Native

It’s been 10 days since Nigerian youth all over the country banded together to make a collective demand known to both federal and local government. Following several extrajudicial killings by Nigerian Policemen, the youth have decided that enough is enough and are demanding for the government to end police brutality in its entirety.

Protestors all over the country have remained peaceful, whilst being attacked and arrested by the policemen who are sworn to protect. We have documented accounts of those such as Nigerian musician, King Mims, Ojah Bee, Treasure Nduka and more, while many have lost their lives while fighting for the betterment of our country, such as Jimoh Isiaq, Anthony Unuode and many others.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGa0tIIl6Yl/

For the past 10 days, protestors have peacefully held up their placards, chanting their need for the government to #EndSars, whilst making no trouble, and apart from attacks from the police, have also been attacked all over the country by armed thugs who have allegedly been sponsored by the government. Now, there is civil unrest all over the country from Abuja to Orile, and the peaceful protest grounds have now become inhospitable after being hijacked by mischief makers who are posing as protestors.

Yesterday, the Edo State declared a state of emergency, following the sudden release of a large number of prisoners. Between then and now, government officials have come out to plead with protestors to cease the protests, to give the government enough time to examine our demands. Today, news of violence all over Lagos from the lynching of a policeman in Orile to terrible fights in Ajah, Alausa and other places, which has now led the government to declare a 24-hour curfew on the people of Lagos.

Given that the major hot spots around the state have been blocked by peaceful protests, operations in Lagos have been kept to a minimum. Protestors blocking the Lekki-VI toll gate has meant a huge loss of revenue for the state, and in addition, they have ordered the closure of schools. Now, following this seemingly orchestrated unreast, the entire state has been put on stand still.

According to Sanwo-Olu, nobody must be seen on the streets of Lagos after 4 pm today for the next 24 hours. This will mean that peaceful protests can no longer hold all over Lagos State and the government’s wishes for the protests to stop are gradually being forcefully granted, whilst giving the Nigerian Police Force something else to enforce. All we asked for was to stop being killed.

#SustainTheProtests: Why Nigerian youths remain steadfast in the protests to #EndSARS

Posted on by The Native

On the latest episode of the I Said What I Said podcast, Jola Ayeye and Feyikemi Abudu are joined by Falz. Following an opening half-hour of comic relief, the trio engage in a lively conversation made evident by the plain-stated title of the episode: “The #ENDSARS and Nigerian Police brutality episode” For about 90 minutes, they discuss the ongoing wave of protests aimed at railing against the constant, grave mistreatment of Nigerian citizens by the Nigerian police force, especially personified by the notorious and now dissolved Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

In a free-flowing discussion that finds the intersection between impassioned and clear, Jola, Feyikemi and Falz delve into the circumstances behind the intensified agitation against police brutality, the response from the Nigerian government and the police itself, as well as ideal solutions which will indicate that reforms are well and truly underway. For those who are familiar, this discussion is a nuanced collection of several facets of the conversations around police brutality. For the unaware, I’d like to imagine that the episode was an encompassing and educative insight into this particularly toxic situation Nigerians at home and in the diaspora are fighting to change.

In what is perhaps the most riveting part of the episode, a young lady anonymously shared the story of her wrenching ordeal with SARS. In the final twenty or so minutes, she recounts being waylaid by SARS operatives in Ibadan, which was swiftly followed by her abduction and transportation to the SARS headquarters in Abuja—a near 10-hour journey by road. In her heartbreaking story, she described the atrocious tactics the operatives employed in a bid to exploit her, from trumped up charges to illegally gaining access to her social media accounts, as well as the horrendous living conditions she had to endure for several months.

This is one of the very many stories that have surfaced over the past two weeks, more evidence that the police reforms we are clamouring for needs to start taking effect immediately. Last week, the Inspector General of Police, Muhammed Adamu, officially announced the dissolution of the Special Anti-Robbery Force, following up an initial statement from the previous week banning the unit from several activities. Upon declaration, Nigerians were quick to scoff at the “audio” disbandment of SARS, citing previous, similarly veiled announcements from the past three years.

#EndSARS has been a rallying cry for the young people of Nigerians since around 2017, with signed petitions and sporadic peaceful protests taking place every once in a while since then. Each time these agitations happen, the government and the police either disband SARS or promise reforms, neither of which has happened every single time. It’s fair to say that they’ve earned the scepticism of every concerned Nigerian still yelling “End SARS” on the streets, even after a dissolution has been announced—for the third time in four years. We’ve been here before, but this time around, it’s clear that affirmative, tangible actions are the only way to satisfy this ongoing wave of agitation.

On cue, after the announced dissolution of SARS, digital cards carrying the exact demands of Nigerian youth were disseminated to avoid any form of ambiguity. While it is more or less a condensed version of the list of demands, the items on the #5for5 cards serves as a great starting point to ensure the government and police understand the precise nature of what is being asked. There have been a few dissenting voices questioning the validity of the continued protests, due to the “dissolution of SARS”, but the overwhelming majority have remained resolute in their activism, since there has been little show of enthusiasm in the government’s dedication to implement these demands, while the police continue to pay lip service to talks of a reform.

In the roughly ten days since #EndSARS protests started, the police have replied peaceful campaigners with a show of force, injuring hundreds and killing over a dozen people so far. In the cases of Jimoh Isiaq, the 20-year old protester killed in Ogbomoso, and Ikechukwu Iloahamuzo, a bystander killed at the Surulere protests, the police commands in Oyo state and Lagos state, respectively, initially denied firing the live rounds that killed these men, before the governors of both states went on to confirm what many already suspected and even witnessed via social media. From Ojahbee to Treasure Nduka and much more, hundreds of protesters have been indiscriminately arrested and severely tortured by the police, while initially being denied bail until there’s intervention from prominent political figures.

All of this indicates that the Nigerian Police Force is still averse to transparency, accountability and calls to end the unjust use of undue force, all of which are central triggers to the ongoing protests. Amidst these reports of police brutality, the IGP announced the formation of Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT), a unit which in summary, has been created to take over the duties assigned to SARS. Immediately, Nigerians began to deride this “new” unit, excavating previous reports of SWAT’s not-so-novel existence in the country, and the hashtag ‘EndSWAT’ swung into popularity within a moment’s notice.

https://twitter.com/kikimordi/status/1316293019616903171?s=09

To many young Nigerians, the announcement of a “new” unit while there’s still uncertainty as to the complete overhauling of a previous, notoriously feared unit is very sinister. SARS was initially formed in order to respond to serious criminal activities like armed robbery and kidnapping, but it quickly morphed into a terror squad, tormenting, assaulting and even killing the very citizens it was created to protect. While SWAT is meant to come in and fulfil those same righteous intentions, there are concerns that they might transform into a new version of SARS, and it speaks to the sheer level of distrust the Nigerian Police elicits from Nigerians.

Due to the gory reputation it has garnered, SARS has been the focal point of these protests. However, an equally immediate and potential effect is that this is also a means of reckoning for the Nigerian Police Force, an institution who have become a burden to many Nigerians. For decades, the force has adopted “Police is your friend” as an unofficial slogan, but it’s become popular ironically, because very few people actually see the police as their “friend”.

Part of this stems from the abuse of power that has become the norm, from seeking petty bribes on the roads (the twenty naira note was once synonymous with regular police extortion) to demanding money before carrying out any investigation after a crime is reported. The other part stems from the general cloud of ineptitude the entire policing system seems to have fallen under, mainly because the institution has refused to evolve. It’s not difficult to see how both these sides feed off each other to create a system that grossly fails to serve and protect Nigerians.

One of my favourite police-related quotes is by the great American-British detective fiction writer, Raymond Chandler: “Police business is a hell of a problem…It asks for the highest type of men and there’s nothing in it to attract the highest type of men”. Part of the #5for5 demands includes increase in police salaries, which has proven to be divisive: on one side, there are people who believe better compensation will ensure that police officers will carry out their duties judiciously; on the other side, it’s the idea higher salaries won’t change behaviours since the abuse of power seems deeply ingrained. Regardless of where you stand this argument, the one thing we can agree on is Nigerians deserve a police force that we’re afraid of.

This is the reason #EndSARS protests are still on going, because lip service has always been paid to reforming the Nigerian police. So far, the government has said it’s fully accepted the #5for5 demands and prominent political figures like the Senate President, Ahmed Lawan, have called for an end to the protests “to allow government time to implement the demands” however, those calls have fallen on deaf ears. As they say, actions speak louder than words, and the actions of the government and the police haven’t tallied with their promises.

So far, peaceful protesters are being terrorised by police and alleged state-sponsored thugs, and no arrests have been officially made for prosecution, even with the wealth of evidence flooding social media. Families of the victims of police brutality have yet to be attended to wholesomely, with the Lagos state government claiming to have set up a N200 million trust fund being the only tangible development at the moment. The Nigerian police has already started training for SWAT operatives, while keeping relatively quiet on calls to ensure the prosecution of high ranking officers, like former commander of the infamous Akwuzu SARS unit, James Nwafor, for alleged roles in atrocious human rights crimes.

It is very understandable that the demands for police reforms will not happen overnight, however, the youth are looking for a tangible sign of good faith that shows the government and police are willing to go the nine yards being asked of them. Without showing a level of readiness, young Nigerians have clearly determined to continue applying pressure through as many channels as possible.

For the past week and counting, there has been a permanent sit-in at the Lekki-Victoria Island tollgate, as well as holding up traffic at other tollgates on the Island in Lagos. According to Punch, the Lagos State government has lost at least N234million due to the closure of these tollgates, a significant amount that will no doubt impact the state’s coffers. On the very first day of the sit-in, Lagos State governor Jide Sanwo-Olu visited the protest grounds to address protests, after three days of protests at the state capital, Alausa, which called on him to address the outcry of Nigerian youths. His appearance at the Lekki-Victoria Island tollgate protests confirmed the importance of this chosen site.

Across the country, protests are being situated in strategic places, stunting the flow of traffic and inevitably impacting economic activities. Abuja protesters have taken to the airport road in Lugbe several times already, and they’ve gathered at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) building since last night. Despite being terrorised by armed thugs in the wee hours of today, they’ve already regrouped, restricting traffic in and out of the CBN building. Peaceful protests in Abuja have been subject to constant violent attacks by the police and thugs, but campaigners have refused to stop demonstrating out of fear, emblematic of the defiance that has come to define protests all over Nigeria.

From Egypt to London to Houston to New York to several cities in Canada, Nigerians in the diaspora have also joined in the protests, increasing global awareness around the #EndSARS agitations. Even online, #EndSARS has remained a global trending topic. All these efforts are culminating into the multi-faceted approach in ensuring we cross the finish line of ending police brutality in Nigeria, no matter how long it takes.

At the moment, there are no official statistics of the number of people who have suffered abuse at the hands of the SARS and the Nigerian police by extension, but there’s a general understanding amongst Nigerian youths that police brutality happening to anyone, at any time, should be deemed as one time too many. #EndSARS is symbolic of the good and just fight to ensure Nigerians can move around freely within the country, without the fear of being harassed, sometimes viciously, by the men and women whose duty it is to serve and protect them. Till we start to march towards that ideal, it will always be a good day to protest against police brutality and advocate loudly for #EndSARS.

Dennis is a staff writer at the NATIVE. Please share any useful resources for the #EndSARS protests with me  @dennisadepeter

FOR US BY US: QUEER LIVES MATTER AS WE ALL FIGHT TO #ENDSARS

Key moments from the #EndSARS protests over the weekend

Posted on by The Native

The ongoing #EndSARS protests have now entered their second official week as the youth of Nigeria demand for the dissolution of the now-defunct unit Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), swift prosecution of all offending SARS officials, wider reforms on the police force, and compensation for all those who have been affected by the rogue unit’s extrajudicial killings, extortion, and inhumane torture.

While we’ve handled a myriad of spanners in the works that have been thrown at peaceful protesters including the deployment of armed thugs in Abuja and Lagos, unlawful use of force by police officers who shoot and teargas protesters, and even imposing mandated curfews after a swarm of prisoners have been released into regular society, the Nigerian people are still relentless in their resolve. The past few weeks have seen the rise of the Feminist Coalition, the newly formed group which has risen to the cause of sustaining the protests by crowdfunding the cost of legal, medical, and logistics for the ongoing peaceful demonstrations.

Nigerians seem more strengthened than ever before, and for many young people, this feels like a watershed moment in the country’s history where they demand the change that will be necessary. To highlight the many amazing strides being taken by Nigerians all over the globe, we are bringing you a shortlist of the key positive moments from the #EndSARS protests from over the weekend.

The Festival of Lights

Towards the end of the last working week, there were concerns that the spirit of the #EndSARS protests was being diluted, especially at the Lekki-Victoria Island tollgate site. With reports of copious amounts of alcohol being passed around and fumes from hydroponic buds filling the air, as well as alleged plans to turn the protest grounds into a club/concert on Friday night and a football viewing centre on Saturday, many feared that campaigners were “losing focus”.

On Friday night, though, those fears were expelled. From around 7 pm, a candlelight vigil took place to commemorate the memories of those who have paid the ultimate price for police brutality. On the night, stories were shared, tears were shed, songs were jointly belted and beautiful mementoes for the dead were created. “I heard some stories and none of this has to be in vain, SARS needs to go”, a friend who was at the tollgate turned protest grounds told me over WhatsApp. Within hours, clips and images from the vigil began to circulate on social media, reminding us of the reason for this ongoing struggle and strengthening the resolve of many Nigerian youth.

The candlelight vigil was also observed at the Alausa protest grounds on Friday, seemingly following the same format. Over the weekend, more vigils held in Abuja, Ibadan, London and New York, inevitably reinforcing the sense of community that has been integral to these protests. To the souls of the departed, may their sacrifice never be forgotten, especially as they reset our focus on the end goal of eradicating police brutality.

The movement is decentralised.

A year ago or even a month ago, many of the millennials and Gen Zers in Nigeria could not have known that they would passionately rise to the clarion call and demand better from our government and law enforcement agencies, but here we are today sustaining a protest for over 10 days. The government has yet to aknowlege and fix the genuine concerns of her citizens, however, young Nigerians have shown that they won’t be letting their feet off the government’s necks any time soon. A genuine fear from the ongoing protests was how we were going sustain them, in the long run, seeing as government response has not been swift or favourable. But a group of young Nigerian women have risen to the task to fight for injustice through fundraising and social media organisation.

The Feminist Coalition is giving the government a run for their money and we couldn’t be more thrilled. In over a week, the newly formed group has been able to pool collective resources by crowdfunding for donations that would be necessary to sustain the protests. They have donated funds collated in Lagos to help protesters being wrongfully imprisoned in Oyo State or funded those that called for food, cleaning equipment and water for protesters across 25 states in the country. As the government continues to crack down violently on protesters, the demands of the Feminist Coalition and their demands have grown more lengthy with each passing moment. But despite the new pressures, the FC hasn’t rescinded on their promises to help the Nigerian youth, rather they have risen up and outsourced duties to a range of protesters willing to step up and take active roles in securing our new Nigeria.

In an effort to make the process run smoother, the Feminist Coalition now has a fully-functioning response unit that covers a different focus area from funds and mobilisation to medical aid support, loss and damages, legal aid support, and more. There are detailed forms where people can express their interest to volunteer or help out, forms for those who have reported a friend or family member missing, those who need free therapy sessions with a professional right down to those who are helping to fact-check false information circulating online around the protests. The best part yet is that not all of these were formed by members of the Feminist Coalition, services like the Post Protest Organised Care was set up by a group of women including Adedoyin Adeniji and Jola Adeboye, two women who sought to help protesters or survivors of SARS brutality to find post-protest therapy sessions and self-care packages.

It is important to note that the actions of private citizens in sustaining the protests hints is one that is to be immensely congratulated and welcomed. Any Nigerian citizen would tell you how difficult it is to donate funds to others when the state of the Nigerian economy is crippling by the hands of our government but young Nigerians and their allies have continued to show support and volunteer their services to the cause. In over a week, the Feminist Coalition has raised over 62,643,663.05 NGN which has been used to support 100 peaceful protests in 25 states. They have saved lives and compensated families of the deceased, they have provided security to protesters and fixed damages sustained from clashes with thugs and they continue to do so through the generosity of well-meaning people and concerned Nigerians who want their voices to be heard and their demands to be met. Even in the face of heavy push back from the government such as facing restrictions on their bank accounts and having to opt for bitcoin, the message remains the same, we are calling on the government to #EndSARS and we will not be intimidated because we are tired.

Mother’s March

Noticeably missing from conversations around the ongoing #EndSARS protests are the efforts of the older generation, the boomers who have let years of failure, and silence go by without standing up for the advancement of the Nigerian society. To make it worse, traditional media and the terror that is parent’s Whatsapp has been circulating fake news that fuels anti-protesters propaganda to the wider Nigerian public.

But there has been some hope amidst the chaos, this weekend our mothers showed up to help the cause by organising a mother’s march in Surulere. They lent their voices despite some pushback from state governors over the weekend asking parents to advise ‘their wards’ against taking part in protests while the government work to take action to amend the steps.

 

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Fikky’s SARS anthem

Music has been a powerful tool for activating and energising protesters of the EndSARS movement. The aggressive energy of Davido’s latest hit song, “FEM” has allowed it to emerge as the song of the moment to soundtrack our collective frustration at the state of the country. However, there are no shortage of Nigerian songs that speak more directly to the police brutality at the heart of the EndSARS protest.

Serval generations of Nigerian artists, Fela, African China, Eedris Abdulkareem, Burna Boy, Falz, and others have been lamenting the unlawful state of affairs, and Fikky joined the ranks of those legends over the weekend, after a moving and riveting freestyle performance at a protest.

His lyrics vividly detailed how SARS officials profile young Nigerians and extort money from them and the young boy’s talented wordplay prompted Adey to reach out and offer to produce the song for free. Adey layered Fikky’s vocals over a groovy bear inspired by the trendy street-hop genre, Zanku. The beat also incorporates a brief sample of the national anthem at the start. Over the weekend, Adey shared the song with a lyric video made by Rasheed and he promised that the streaming profits will go to Fikky and his family.

ICYMI: THE KEY ROLE WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN THE FIGHT TO #ENDSARS

Liberia declares national emergency as the country records spike in rape cases

Posted on by The Native

TW: This post contains details of sex and gender-based violence against women.

Africa is bleeding. Many nations across the continent are reportedly expressing bouts of revolt against injustices, as citizens demand better governance and accountability from their democratically elected leaders. While Nigeria battles decades-long negligence, which has fuelled police brutality on its citizens, reports from Congo unearth a silent holocaust that is wiping out millions, Ivory Coast and Ghana are both dealing with the alarming rise of sex trafficking cases and Namibian women are out on the streets determined to #ShutItAllDown in order to avenge their fallen sisters who have died as a result of sexual violence.

It seems that all around us, the general mood of the world seems to have shifted. People, particularly the dominant youth generation are no longer turning a blind eye to the many injustices that we currently face in today’s world. And this seems to be reflected across various people and countries, including Liberia where rape has now been declared a matter of national emergency after seeing huge spikes in the number of reported cases this year.

 

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In August, the city of Monrovia was rocked when thousands of Liberian citizens took to the streets to protest the alarming rise in the rates of rape and sexual assault in the country. The protests which were termed a March for Justice kicked off following the tragic news of a 19-year-old boy in rural Liberia allegedly used a razor blade to mutilate the genitals of a 3-year-old girl, which he reportedly thought would enable him to rape her more easily.

Women and allies came out in numbers to protest this case and the cases of several other women who have lost their lives since the government-mandated lockdowns to prevent the coronavirus began. The director of Liberia’s Women Empowerment Network, Margaret Taylor, said last month that her NGO had recorded 600 cases of rape between the months of June and August. These figures represent a 60% increase in the number of reported cases in the country from statistics collated earlier in the year.

The protesters demanded a decentralised system for handling rape cases, stricter capital punishment for those prosecuted on counts of rape and sexual assault, and the building of safe houses to accommodate survivors of rape and other SGBV cases across the country. After protesting and being tear-gassed by police, the president of Liberia, George Weah finally responded to the peaceful demonstrators and honoured some of their demands from the government. In a statement, Weah said that the country was “witnessing what is actually an epidemic of rape within the pandemic, affecting mostly children and young girls across the country.”

Additionally, Weah said he would install a special prosecutor for rape in Liberia, as well as set up a national sex offender registry. Also, the government will also establish a “national security task force” to deal with matters relating to sexual- and gender-based violence. At the moment, it is yet to be ascertained whether any of these measures have been put in place to protect women and young girls but Weah’s administration says it is committed to riding the country of rape by 2022-23.

Featured Image Credits/AllAfrica

Tweet Me Your Experiences At #EndSARS Protests Around The Country @tamimak_

ICYMI: #ShutItAllDown: Namibians stand against gender-based violence

Edo State on 24 hour lockdown following prison break in Benin

Posted on by The Native

Throughout the week, nationwide peaceful protests against SARS have been compromised by alleged hired thugs, and violence from the Nigerian Police Force with the aim to disperse protesters. There have been countless videos of police officers firing live bullets and pressured water at peaceful protesters, which have caused heightened tension in the country as the youth enter day-10 of protests to #EndSARS and police brutality.

Every day, there has been a new development throughout the country, aimed at stifling the protests, and the atmosphere is tense with citizens knowing their safety is not ensured as they take the streets. Protestors have been allegedly killed and brutalised by the police, and today amidst the restless atmosphere, there have been several reports that there has been a jailbreak this morning at Sapele Road in Benin City.

Videos accompanying the report showed as inmates scaled over the fence and joined the crowd of presumed protesters who were holding palm leaves and makeshift clubs. We can also see the prisoners fleeing the scene, thanking the presumed protesters as they join the crowd, however, it’s a bit suspicious that no police officer was seen in any of the videos that captured the jailbreak.

The jailbreak in Benin has led the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki to declare a state of emergency, noting that “hoodlums have taken laws into their hands to cause mayhem on innocent citizens and the state.” He shared a statement on Twitter, advising everyone to stay at home.

Prisoners being let out of jail whether they broke out themselves or were broken out confirms the youth’s sentiment for total and complete police reform. Men who have been convicted and should be behind bars are now running free in the streets, and from what we are seeing in the videos, it appears that the police did nothing to stop it.

In addition, the timing of the jailbreak is also suspicious, as it provides incentive for the government to distrust the peaceful protests and continue to label protestors as mischief-makers. We urge those protesting to stay safe and use the helplines when necessary and report suspicious activities.

This story is currently developing. We will keep updating this post as we hear more, please keep checking for updates.

Featured image credits/Twitter

ICYMI: Here are ways to support #EndSARS Protestors and call for justice

For Us By Us: Queer Lives Matter as we all fight to #EndSars

Posted on by The Native

Throughout the #ENDSARS protests, the NATIVE will be collecting stories and opinions of Nigerians from all walks of life, from all over the world with the aim to connect our wider community at this trying time. With our new series, ‘For Us By Us’, we will be hearing directly from each other, speaking about the different issues we are all facing and tackling together, in the aim for a better future for ourselves and the next generation.

Written by Anonymous 

As I write this, I am terrified, exhausted, shaken, drained and angry. This week has signalled the dawn of a new era in our country. The past week has seen the Nigerian youth rise and say “enough is enough.” The past week has seen us stand up and fight
for our country. I read somewhere today “we are the ones we’ve been waiting for.” And those words have never rung as true as they do right now.

For years, decades even, Nigeria has been on this rollercoaster ride of deterioration and dereliction. Our parents used to tell us stories of a gorgeous black nation, where anyone with a dream, could be a titan. They told us great big stories, one of which, painted a picture of how we built an entire city for an arts festival. They regale tales of how we were held in high esteem all over the world. Brands and companies known the world over flocked here and found a safe haven. People were joyous, money was not
an issue, and life was incredibly forthright with jubilations to come. The most populous black nation on earth. Apparently, we had our own moment.

Scientists and psychologists always say that the human memory is one that should never thoroughly be relied on. Nostalgia provides catharsis in moments of crisis but is a dangerous drug around which to build an existence. They forgot to tell us about the dark days. The dark days that oddly and almost prophetically, coincided with the birth of this generation. For 60 years Nigeria has been taking 10 steps forward and 40 steps back. We have leaders who continue to treat the country like their own personal trust fund. They feel they owe us no communications, no accountability, no transparency. We are beneficiaries of this trust, and very few of us can honestly say we have benefited.

Our currency has been heavily devalued, even without the actual action. Inflation is at an all-time high. Our youth cannot even find jobs to help keep them alive. On top of this, the forces that are supposed to be protecting us, are killing us. For having the audacity to live, to express ourselves, to thrive, to live and love how and who we want. To say that the LBTQ+ community in Nigeria have been unaccounted victims of the same brutality under the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) is the biggest understatement of the past decade. For years, queer men, women and individuals beyond the binary, have been attacked, raped, extorted, harassed AND murdered because of profiles that the previous generation have taught the nation to attack and hate. For being different. Nobody wants to be ostracized. We didn’t choose this. It chose us.

https://twitter.com/feminist_co/status/1317894985656696834

I would be lying to say that I have experienced the same kind of treatment that a lot of the members of my community face when it comes to police brutality. I however will not try to hide behind any privilege that I may have and say that because it couldn’t happen to me, it would not be an injustice. We have been fighting for the past 6 days. In that time the government has shown no regard for us. They have killed us. Despite the fact that we didn’t bear any arms. There have been no reports of vandalism. Our protests have been peaceful. Yet they have murdered people and illegally detained many others. We have fought for their release. We showed up for each other. No one knows which way this is going to go just yet. It is in equal parts terrifying and exhilarating.

However, we know now more than ever what we want. A lot of us have no idea if we’ll be dead tomorrow. But one thing remains true about our generation. We have proven, time and time again, that there is WAY more that connects us, than there is that divides us. To the ones that have fallen in our quest for a world that should have shown up for them, for as long as we sweat and fight, we are singing your names to the heavens. We remember you. May your journey on the other side be peaceful. We will continue to fight to ENSURE that we thrive in a world that we did not make.

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/the_amarion

Please share any useful information about #ENDSARS protests @nativemag

ICYMI: The LGBT community are not left out of the fight against systematic opression

#EndSARS: Inside the sinister operations of Akwuzu SARS in Anambra State

Posted on by The Native

The past week has been heavy for every Nigerian, particularly amongst the dominant youth demographic who have been fighting and demanding for their right to live free from police brutality and extortion. A deluge of stories about the terror and extrajudicial killings suffered at the hands of the unit’s officers has circulated around social media in the past weeks highlighting an urgent need to reform police and charge offending persons to the highest order of the law.

The stories we have read have frightened us, the experiences we have lived through have scarred us and those closest to us. Social media has become the quickest way to find out information on which locations need the most help and which are being attacked by SARS officers or members of the police force. But what’s stood out the most, is the stories coming out about a particular unit in Anambra State known as Akwuzu SARS.

Akwuzu SARS is allegedly responsible for the mass murders of over a thousand young people in Anambra State led by the command of CSP James Nwafor. Young men have been tortured, killed, and attacked by officers in this notorious unit who would then dump the remains of their bodies in the Ezu River in Anambra State. This particular officer, James Nwafor is alleged to have killed a young man by the name of Chijioke Illoanya and brazenly told his family, “I killed your son and nothing will happen”. This is exactly the type of officers that are employed by the federal government to serve and protect the Nigerian people, those who have so much conviction that they can destroy lives and never be held accountable for their actions.

The horrendous crimes in Anambra date long before the reports of SARS officers wrongfully profiling, extorting, and in some cases, killing young people. In one of the accounts from 2013, a survivor of the Akwuzu SARS unit was arrested on accounts of armed robbery and unlawfully detained for over two weeks. In his time there, he was subjected to excruciating forms of torture and restraint and attacked every day by the officers in the unit. The cell blocks were numbered according to the sentencing of each prisoner with cell 4 being the cell reserved for those who would be killed. And those who could not afford the exorbitant bail would be denied bail and killed within the ground then, their bodies would be dumped in the river and to erase any traces, shot again while submerged in water.

In another account from 2017, a detainee was accused of stealing a laptop and carted off to Akwuzu SARS. In his graphic account, the detainee shared details of how he was hung on an iron rod stand and beaten and attacked with numerous objects by the arresting officers. He sustained injuries all over his body, particularly to his teeth which were crushed and then left to remain hanging for three hours. Whenever he would lose consciousness, he would be revived by officers only to face brutish attacks yet again.

None of these stories are easy to digest, well  but they represent exactly what lays at the heart of the current #EndSARS movement which is the rooting out of the police brutality and inept governance. It is clear that The Nigerian Police Force does not exist to serve, protect, and preserve the balance of law and order in the country. Instead, they represent and have always represented the residual power from the colonial British empire which were an affront to traditional African policing methods based on community and closely linked social and religious structures.

Even in the midst of these peaceful protests where we are pleading with our government and law enforcement to spear our lives, we are still met with violence and death proving that those in charge do not care about the lives they were charged to protect. Today, news has reached us that CSP James Nwafor has been fired from his position at Akwuzu SARS and the incumbent governor of the state has promised that he will be charged under the law.

Despite this, there are many other defaulting officers still within that gruesome slaughterhouse that have not been fired and arrested and they must all be held accountable for the crimes that they have committed against Nigerian lives. Protesters in Anambra State have also magnificently walked 30km from Aku to Akwuzu SARS to demand that all defaulting officers are charged and demand compensation for the families who have been affected by their terror.

Reports have now reached us that protesters are being shot at by SARS officers in Anambra State who convened at the unit to demand the release of prisoners who are unlawfully detained within its walls.

This story is currently developing. We will keep updating this post as we hear more, please keep checking for updates.

Featured image credits/Twitter

Tweet me about your experiences at the #EndSARS protests around the country @tamimak_

ICYMI: Here are ways to support #EndSARS Protestors and call for justice

NATIVE partners with our creative community for new Defend Our Youth tees

Posted on by The Native

It’s been over a week of peacefully protesting the rogue unit of the Nigerian Police Force, SARS, and the wider injustices committed by the Nigerian government on her people. Thanks to organisations like the Feminist Coalition (FC), protesters who have been injured, attacked, and unlawfully detained have been tended to and safely returned to their families. The FC has also been able to galvanise more Nigerian youths to attend protests around the country by providing private security, food, medical services, protest equipment and legal services to all protesters.

 

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To support the fight against police brutality and raise more funds for the FC, some members of the creative community in Lagos including NM Bello Studio, Alara, Homecoming, The Lost Okoroshi, Seun Kuti, The Republic, Deborah Segun, NATIVE, Dennis Osadebe, and WAFFLESNCREAM have come together to design the DEFEND YOUTH TEE. Featuring an illustration by Deborah Segun, and sold exclusively on www.wafflesncream.com & www.wafflesncream.co.uk 100% of the proceeds from sales of the Tee will be donated to The Feminist Coalition, an organization fighting against injustice through peaceful protests, fundraising, and social media organization.

Featured Image Credits/WafflesNCream

Tweet Tips On The #EndSARS & #EndSWAT Protests To  @tamimak_

ICYMI: A detailed breakdown of the Feminist Coalition’s progress report

Nigerian artist, King Mimz shares an account of her time in police custody

Posted on by The Native

All week, peaceful protesters in the country’s capital city, Abuja have been attacked by the Nigerian police who have used every weapon in their arsenal to derail the efforts of protesters demanding better from their police and government. We have watched in real-time how viral videos of the atrocious happenings in Abuja have been shared on social media, detailing the brutal use of force on Nigerian citizens by those tasked to protect and serve them.

It is important to note that these people who have been attacked are regular Nigerians just like you and I. We’ve heard accounts from Treasure Nduka and Oxlade’s manager, Ojah Bee, and now, a young up-and-coming artist, King Mimz has recently shared the brutality she faced at the hands of the Nigerian police.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXczmVnQWy/

Now, the capital city has banned the gathering of protesters for any peaceful protests, claiming that these large gatherings are a threat to lives due to the ongoing global pandemic. But these efforts to curb the spread of the virus aren’t quite holding water, since the announcement that schools and NYSC camps across the nation can now open highlighting that the government’s aim isn’t to protect citizens from COVID-19 but to stop the ongoing protests at all costs.

But no matter what tools this current administration employs to curb the peaceful demonstrations, we will never forget how the Nigerian police force has attacked, injured, and unlawfully detained young Nigerians in the past week. Among those who have been brutalised by the police, an artist and songwriter, King Mimz was one of those who suffered wounds at the hands of the police, detailing how they beat her with bats for daring to join the protests, desperate to make an example of her.

She said via Twitter:

“We locked hands together and knelt/sat in front of them. We had been there all of 2 minutes when teargas flew in from multiple directions. Everyone ran. I was at the forefront of the protest so I had to run through the teargas and some got into my eye. I hid behind a wall to wash my face so I could see properly before I continued running. When I heard some men yelling at me in the distance. They took my phone (till today I don’t know where my phone is). 7 policemen beat me with a baseball bat and thick tree branches. They beat me like I was a criminal while a female policewoman stood by. They asked me what I was doing protesting and they asked me who paid me. Their leader proceeded to tell them to stomp on everything in my bag and destroy everything.. Nothing in my bag was left undestroyed. They put me in a VIO pickup and threatened to take me and some other girls they had rounded up to their “office”. IDK what made them change their minds but they told us to get out and run while beating us like animals”.

You can watch her account here.

 

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Featured image credits/KingMimz

Tweet me your experiences on protest grounds around the country @tamimak_

ICYMI: Read Treasure Nduka’s account of her time in police custody

Read a detailed breakdown of the Feminist Coalition’s progress report

Posted on by The Native

When the youths of Nigeria took to streets across the nation to protest the disbandment of the rogue police unit, SARS, they were met with more brutality from the Nigerian police force. This caused young Nigerians–particularly the women behind the Feminist Coalition to rise to the occassion and provide the essential services needed to provide protesters with  legal and medical aid, essential equipment, food and drinks, and much more.

All week we have watched how social media has become the most important tool in fighting oppression and how benevolent and committed to the fight many of us are, seeing as we were able to crowdfund money and resources in minutes. The Feminist Coalition (FC) has been at the forefront of this social movement and has been collating the funds needed for all the different causes that arise from the ongoing social movement. The best part yet is how seamless and transparent the entire process has been, each day, the official Twitter account is forthcoming with the amount of money received from donations and then how the money is allocated to different protest sites and for those who have been unlawfully detained.

 

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To make things even more transparent, the week-old organisation has now shared a detailed breakdown of where all the money that has been donated has been used. Having raised a total of 62 million naira so far, the group has allocated these funds to over 100 peaceful protests in over 25 states. NGN 759,080 in medical bills for injured protesters, donated NGN 400,000 to the families of victims murdered by police officers while protesting peacefully, paid NGN 500,000 in legal aid, and spent NGN 11,367,500 on supplies including food, water, mask among other things for the peaceful protesters.

This could not have been achieved without the collective efforts of all Nigerian youths and well-wishers from all over the world. We are witnessing history in the making and our contributions and that of the FC will always be remembered. To find out more about how the progress report, please read here.

Featured image credits/FeministCoalition

How Davido’s FEM became the sounds of the #EndSARS revolution

Posted on by The Native

As a young Nigerian, the fear you feel when you see policemen is a very familiar one, and it could be because you know you’re about to be extorted, or that they’re holding a massive gun whilst probably drunk and/or high which you can tell from their slurred speech. Music has always backed these fears and frustrations we have towards the Nigerian police and government, from songs like Eedris Abdul Karim’s “Jaga Jaga” to Pretty Boy D-O’s “Chop Elbow”. Back in 2001, the opening line of Trybesmen’s 2001 track, “Plenty Nonsense” ‘Oh I don tire for police, dem wahala no dey cease for road like this them fit stop like 10 motorists’, delves right into the issue we are still fighting today in 2020: police brutality.

For the past 6 days, young Nigerians have taken to the streets to protest the fucked up system which has enabled SARS and generally the Nigerian Police Force to wreak havoc on the youth for as long as we’ve all lived, and even though it hasn’t been directly linked to the ongoing revolution, Nigerian youth have been calling to #EndSars through music for decades. In African China’s 2006 hit, “Mr President”, he said ‘everyday for thief one day for owner‘, and today, we’ve claimed that day.

It’s been a week since the youth of Nigeria swarmed in thousands across the nation, protesting the inhumane treatment they suffer at the hands of SARS operatives who are notoriously known for extrajudicial killings and blatant extortions of many Nigerians. In a week, we’ve reported a lot of the happenings around the nation from police responding to peaceful protests against police brutality with more police brutality , feminists organisations leading the charge and supporting injured and detained protesters to the government’s shocking response.

But even in the face of all these distressing moments in the past week, there have been slivers of entertainment and renewed hope as young Nigerians share a sense of camaraderie and unity despite the discord that the government wishes to fuel. There’s something about the Nigerian psyche and the way it perpetually finds reasons to be happy and cheerful in any given situation, a feat the whole world recognised back in 2011. As someone who has been at the different protest locations in the past week, I was able to witness firsthand the energy and anger on the streets but beyond this, the dedication to stand as a unit and face decades of corruption and ineptitude head-on quickly translated in the most creative ways.

Music has been integral to the #EndSARS protests and it has been there every step of the way to soundtrack the feelings of young Nigerians either by strengthening, soothing, or rousing them to further action. At the protest grounds, you typically hear legends like Fela Kuti and Eedris Abdulkareem being played, as their politically-charged messages translate to a modern audience who largely still face many of the issues that they sang about back then. Interestingly, a song that has been catching on recently is Davido’s latest single “FEM“, the amped-up comeback anthem that he recently released as an alleged diss song to Burna Boy.

The energetic single is frequently played at these peaceful protests at intervals when the protester’s chants have died down and even though Davido didn’t have a revolution in mind when he was making the song, the digs that he takes at the African Giant lend themselves easily to the current social movement. It’s unabashedly a protest anthem, as Davido’s words encompass the feeling that many young Nigerians currently feel for their government officials. So, it follows that when the Governor Sanwo-Olu visited protest grounds in his state, he was silenced by the impatient crowd of protesters who were not impressed by the empty promises that the governor was regurgitating to them. “Small boy you don dey talk too much, FEM” they chanted in unison in response to Sanwo-Olu’s assurance that he would take their demands to the President in Abuja.

“FEM” represents some of the current thoughts many young Nigerians harbour to this current government. It’s an affront to everything they stand for, and if you listen closely, it spans from questions on profiling (“why dem don dey para for me”) to brutal killings (“I dey live my life, man dey turn am to shoot on sight”) and even to the government’s all talk no action approach (“e be like you don dey talk to much”).

Whatever the case, the #EndSARS protests is technically a young movement and was bound to pick up a few trends of its own, from music to memes and even phrases like ‘soro soke’ (speak up) and Buhari has been a bad boy. In these tumultuous times, it’s important to find ways to take a break from the news cycle and look after yourself, you can find some tips here.

 

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Featured image credits/PremiumTimes

Tweet Me Your Experiences At The Various Protest Grounds Around The World #ENDSARS @tamimak_

ICYMI: The nation is united in our fight to #EndSARS

Oxlade’s manager, Ojah B seriously injured following police detention

Posted on by The Native

Social media users in Nigeria have continued to use their platforms to spread the injustice perpetrated by the men of the Nigerian Police Force. Though this makes for horrific viewing as the bartered bodies of SARS victims are displayed for the world to see, young people are counting on it to raise more awareness on the dire state of things.

Earlier on in the week, the video of Oxlade’s manager, Ojah B getting dragged on the street by the police amongst many other cases of the police picking peaceful protestors off the streets sparked even more outrage from the people. While protesters have remained peaceful, carrying protest signs to convey their outrage, the police responded with violence in several different ways, from beatings to unleashing teargas and even in some cases like Jimoh Isiaq’s, death.

While efforts were made by the Feminist Coalition to ensure Ojah B and all other protestors who had been detained in Surulere were released, Ojah B, unfortunately, has been badly injured. In a photo released by Oxlade earlier today, it shows his manager’s hospital report, which shows that he has developed a swelling in his brain, and also can’t control his fingers.

Ojah B’s case is an example of how the Nigerian Police have shown little regard for human life, as there was no reason stated for his arrest or the torture he faced. We could see that he was being brutalised in broad daylight, so we can’t even begin to imagine what he was faced with behind closed doors.

It is also important to note that as we are fighting for SARS to be completely disbanded, the regular Nigerian Police are responding with violence, which continues to prove our point. These are the reasons young Nigerians are risking their lives every day.

Our prayers are with Ojah B at this time, and we hope he recovers quickly.

 

Featured Image Credits: Instagram/Oxladeofficial  

Anonymous hacks police database in support of #EndSARS

Posted on by The Native

The nationwide protests to effectively end the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS)—newly re-branded as the Special Weapons and Tactics unti (SWAT)—and reform the Nigerian police force has pulled in the support of vocal allies from across the world. Just last night, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey sent out several tweets in support of the demonstrations, amplifying several stories explaining the significance of the #EndSARS and #EndSWAT protests, as well as pointing to the donation channels set up by the Feminist Coalition.

Almost concurrently, Nigerians found out that Anonymous, the clandestine group of hackers dedicated to human rights causes, have also taken bold steps in support of the demonstrations. The faceless collective, represented by the Guy Fawkes mask, have seemingly hacked into the Nigerian police’s database, sharing personnel data of over a thousand officers in the force, presumably members of the (now-defunct) SARS unit. The document released by Anonymous includes names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of many officers, making good on the caution they issued last Friday.

In their statement, the hacker collective says it has hacked several government websites, with claims that the National Industrial Court of Nigeria was one of such (the NIOC website is in its normal condition at this time). For over a decade, Anonymous has played a role in amplifying protests across the world, while also hacking government websites and exposing confidential information. Notable instances include Operation Tunisia in support of the Arab Spring movements in 2011, and Operation Darknet which targeted websites hosting child pornography.

Their interest in the ongoing protests against police brutality in Nigeria, via the Twitter account NigeriaOP, clear fits Anonymous’ M.O. Moreover, the collective has made it a duty to reiterate that it has no leaders in its quest to support basic civil rights all over the world, a trait that aligns with the#EndSARS and #EndSWAT demonstrations, a movement organically driven by the young people of Nigeria.

Featured Image Credits: Web/Kanyi Daily

Dennis is a Staff Writer at the NATIVE. Send tips on the #EndSARS & #EndSWAT protests to him @dennisadepeter

IMPORTANT: THE FIGHT AGAINST OPPRESSION IN NIGERIA DOES NOT EXCLUDE THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY

#EndSARS: Alausa Protests are currently being disrupted by armed thugs

Posted on by The Native

In the week since the #EndSARS protests have erupted all over the country, Alausa has quickly emerged as one of the focal points of the demonstrations. Due to its strategic position in Ikeja, Lagos’ capital city, as the physical location of the governor’s office, the Lagos state house of assembly and several state secretarial headquarters, protesters have converged in the area on a daily basis, stunting movement and curtailing the regular flow of business in a bid to ensure that our voices are heard.

Earlier today, protesters began to assemble at Alausa as usual, however their gathering is currently being disrupted by armed thugs. In the last hour, protesters on ground have been sending in social media posts describing happenings in and around the area. According to videos, written tweets and oral accounts, thugs armed with cutlasses were carried into the area in several of the Lagos state-initiated trademark blue buses (LAGbus), and they’ve set about chasing, terrifying and injuring protesters.

Conspiracies are already floating around as to the powers behind these thugs, with many claiming that they could very well be state-sponsored. This is coming on the heels of yesterday’s protests in Alausa, which was beseeched by armed thugs in the afternoon, but were repelled in self-defence and captured by protesters. Also, yesterday saw an attack on protesters in Berger, Abuja by armed thugs who destroyed cars, properties and wounded several, before they were rounded up by protesters who fought back. Per Sahara reporters, the Berger, Abuja attackers were allegedly contracted the chairman of the Jabi Motor Park, Nasiru Bude, however, it is unclear if these attacks were truly sponsored.

If you’re in or headed to Alausa, please be at alert and stay safe. This is a developing story and we will be delivering updates as we find out more.

https://twitter.com/Adeifemide/status/1316641947705110528?s=09

Dennis is a Staff Writer at the NATIVE. Send tips on the #EndSARS & #EndSWAT protests to him @dennisadepeter

IMPORTANT: THE KEY ROLE WOMEN HAVE PLAYED IN THE FIGHT TO #ENDSARS

All the locations of #SarsMustEnd Protests happening today

Posted on by The Native

As Nigeria enters day 6 of the #SARSMUSTEND protests, more and more locations around the country are sprouting up as protest grounds with youths calling for more reinforcement from their friends, colleagues, and family to join the fight against police brutality and the reign of terror by SARS. Although it was announced by the Inspector General of Police that SARS had been disbanded, young Nigerians were not quick to jump on this frivolous promise as it has been done many times over the past few years since 2017.

This week, the protests continue because our demands have not been met by the Nigerian government yet and justice and peace are far from being served. We have continued to be brutalised and intimidated by the government, so we must continue to fight. To keep you updated with all the protests happening across Nigeria this week, we compiled a quick and easy list with all the locations of the #SARSMUSTEND protests taking place today. Look out for your part of town and come through in numbers, people!

Lagos State

  • Unilag

Time: 8am

  • Egbeda Bus Stop

Time: 9am

  • Lekki/Ikoyi link bridge

Time: 4am

  • Lekki/VI toll gate

Time: 4am

  • Ogudu Road, Roundabout.

Meeting point: Emmanuel Primary School Gate

Time: 9 am

  • Airport Road, Lagos, 7 & 8 Bus Stop and Oshodi  Isolo

Time: 9 am.

  • Egbeda- Isheri Roundabout

Time: 9am.

Ondo State

  • Ademile Cultural Centre, Akure

Time: 8am

Niger State

  • Bahago Roundabout, Minna, Niger state.

  Time: 10am

Abuja

  • Unity Fountain

Time: 8am

  • National Assembly

Time: 8am

Anambra

  • Ekwueme Square.

Delta State

  • Interbau Roundabout, Asaba

Ibadan

  • UI Trans

London

  • Downing Street

Time: 2pm

Taraba

  • Point Trade Fair, Jalingo

Time: 8AM

New York

  • Nigerian Embassy – 828 2nd Avenue
  • United Nations HQ

Kwara

  • Challenge, Ilorin

Time: 9am

We will continue to update with new locations as we come across them

Featured image credits/YagazieEmezi

Tami is a staff writer at the NATIVE. Tweet at her your #SARSMustEnd Protest locations @tamimak_

ICYMI: Here’s exactly how Nigerians need the government to #ENDSARS

The key role women have played in the fight to #EndSARS

Posted on by Tami Makinde

It’s been a week since the Nigerian youth galvanised together and marched in streets across the nation contesting the heinous acts of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a rogue operative unit of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) that continuously carries out extrajudicial killings and criminal extortions on the country’s citizens. Yesterday, the Nigerian government through the office of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) announced that the officers of the defunct unit were being taken off the streets, to commit to a range of physical and psychological checks before redeployment into a new operatives unit set up to spearhead the gaps left by the disbandment of SARS.

The newly formed unit of the NPF, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) will begin training over the weekend, as the government pleaded with young protesters to rethink their peaceful demonstrations – an uncharacteristic plea in a democratic state. But while news of the disbandment of SARS and the formation of SWAT was being communicated to the general public, armed officers of the NPF were harming, injuring, and in some cases, torturing and killing numerous Nigerians, including protesters, journalists, and even bystanders unlawfully obtained from the protest grounds across the country. Prior to the president’s address, the NPF were brutishly handling protesters who were unarmed and only wished to communicate their demands to the Nigerian government.

Seeing as social media has become the most powerful tool in mobilising other young Nigerians to rise to action, it was through the interconnectedness of these social media platforms that adequate help for those who were injured or detained was quickly sought out and answered.

 

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Through the actions of a private group of individuals, including popular podcaster Feyikemi Abudu, attorney Moe Odele, and the newly-formed Feminist Coalition, monetary contributions were crowdfunded and raised to provide a range of services such as legal support to those detained and charged with crimes they did not commit, funding for those who had lost families during the protests and food for those who were risking their lives every day in the face of a pandemic to exercise their right to lawfully protest their demands for better governance and police reform. These women (unlike some) do not demand to be the face of these protests, because there are no official leaders of this decentralised movement which aims to champion the voices of all Nigerian youths irrespective of their economic backgrounds, families, or religious beliefs. They are also deeply accountable to the cause, endlessly providing a transparent breakdown on where the money from donations and sponsors go and accurately giving detailed information about the release of unlawfully detained protesters.

In the seven days since the protests kicked off, these women have faced harassment, impersonation, and threats of physical violence to their lives because of the active role they have taking in ensuring that no one gets left behind in the revolution. The spaces they occupy are no easy feat, however, their active involvement and that of many other Nigerian women has revealed how women experience police brutality and oppression in gendered ways, such as sexual harassment and sexual assault. When women from all across the country swarmed to the protest grounds to fight for transparent and accountable governance, they were once again reminded that the men that they rallied with could also be their very abusers and they were not wrong. Instances of women on the frontline being harassed and assaulted by male protesters were rife, and yet such cases have failed to mould how we engage with the ongoing protests for a better Nigeria.

To fight for a better Nigeria that is devoid of oppression and suffering, we need to counteract all the systems that are put in place to maintain the status quo. These systems manifest themselves in numerous ways including but not exclusive to the social attitudes towards those we feel deserve to be the voice of the movement. Conversations around police brutality are often shaped by the men’s understanding of what constitutes police brutality, because their stories so frequently make the rounds on social media. Indeed, when Amnesty International conducted the first reported incidents of violence from SARS officers, many of the subjects spoken to were men and represented the ways in which police brutality pertains to them. But left out of the conversation were the ways in which gendered police violence is a product of a system intent on oppressing its citizens and a manifestation of everything we are currently working to dissolve.

Also, glaringly missing from these protests taking over the country is the involvement of the older generation who have consistently shown their lacklustre attitudes towards making the country a better one for all of us. A video of an older Nigerian woman employed by the government at the National House of Assembly (NASS) surfaced earlier this week.  The woman, who risked losing her job to protest police reform and the disbandment of SARS was accosted by security and staff in the building who demanded she evacuates the premises if she was going to unlawfully protest within their building. Her act of defiance is incredibly noteworthy, because we know it takes courage to join a revolution, and takes twice as much courage when you’re a Nigerian woman dealing with a society that has misogyny and purity culture woven deeply within its fabric.

Nigeria’s epidemic of police violence is not limited to just the stories that we get to hear on the news. For every high-profile case like that of Treasure Nduka’s, there are many more allegations of gross misconduct and physical and sexual violence against women that we don’t hear about. For young women like N*, her experience at the hands of SARS is one that still causes her severe pangs of anxiety and PTSD to this day. Two years ago, she was stopped by SARS operatives who labelled her a prostitute because of her visible tattoos and piercings, when she contested this assumption, she was attacked and asked to raise her dress to truly reveal she was wearing underwear and not a prostitute soliciting sex. Accounts like hers at the hands of these SARS operatives are common and reflect an urgent need to make our fight more inclusive and representative of our different intersections.

In any case, we are watching in real-time how the actions are playing out on social media. Women rose to the occasion to dismantle the oppression posed by the NPF and the government, and in turn, they were villanised and castigated, like in the case of Segalink who took to Twitter this morning yet again to debase and detract from the hard work that these women have currently put into the movement. Labelling them as a cult, an upgrade from the last moniker feminist coven, Segalink in a now-deleted Twitter thread stated his untrue assumptions about the women championing the ongoing social movement, diminishing their work and trying to re-insert himself as the famed leader of the #EndSARS movement. Sexism is a huge factor in what we’re now seeing, but Nigerian women have a long history of doing the heavy lifting before being erased by our misogynistic society. I, for one, am proud of the strides that these women are taking and glad that it’s forcing a much-needed conversation about gender politics to surface on the back of the ongoing movement.

#EndSARS–and its many iterations do not exclude women’s experiences and have never excluded them because the feminist women who are at the forefront of this movement audaciously articulating their demands do not pose a threat to cisgender male life or the lives of those legitimately protected by the state. And with the movement’s current reliance on collective strength and support, rather than a reliance on an independent voice, women are showing that leadership is not a means to centre anyone’s experience above another but to highlight the many layers and structures that threaten our freedom. That is after all what feminism consistently promotes. The goal is complete abolition of oppression and many among us will have to kill their ego too. There is no revolution without empowered women and if these protests have shown us anything, it’s that the future is truly female. So let’s #ENDSARS.

Featured image credits/FeministCoalition

Tweet me your experiences at the various protest grounds around the world #ENDSARS @tamimak_

ICYMI: The fight against oppression in Nigeria does not exclude the LGBTQ community

Here are the details of the attacks on peaceful #EndSARS protests in Abuja

Posted on by The Native

All week, peaceful #EndSARS protests in Abuja have been attacked by the police who have been letting loose canisters of teargas and teargas and waterboarding people who are looking for a better and reformed system. Today, the story has changed slightly and there’s another set of violent attackers infiltrated the protests at Berger, Abuja.

Threats from pro-SARS protestors have been looming since Sunday, October 11, when the video above of a young man explaining how he was brutalised by them surfaced. Because of concurrent police attacks in Abuja, many assumed he was referring to the police at the time of the video’s release, however, today these attackers came out in full force,

Earlier on today as the peaceful protestors began their day, they were attacked with sticks, cutlasses, and daggers. Some of the counter-protesters were apprehended by the peaceful protesters, who eventually beat them up and sent the injured off in an ambulance and also surrendered them to the police.

While some are intending to use this as a means to create more division between us, labelling these men as a certain tribe and ascribing their agenda to incite a tribal war, it is important for us to stay focused on the aim, which is to #ENDSARS and hold those in charge accountable for providing Nigerians the safety they deserve as citizens.

There have been warnings that there will be more attacks in Abuja, so please stay safe if you’re out there. If you’re unable to protest, you can donate to help those who were hurt and affected by this attack through the Feminist Coalition, details here:

https://twitter.com/feminist_co/status/1316355482194411521?s=21

Find below some footage live from the protests in Abuja:

 

SENSITIVE VIDEO 

 

Please share any useful information about #ENDSARS protests @nativemag

ICYMI: Read Treasure Nduka’s account of her time in police custody

For Us By Us: Arise O compatriots in the diaspora, Nigeria is calling

Posted on by The Native

Throughout the #ENDSARS protests, the NATIVE will be collecting stories and opinions of Nigerians from all walks of life, from all over the world with the aim to connect our wider community at this trying time. With our new series, ‘For Us By Us’, we will be hearing directly from each other, speaking about the different issues we are all facing and tackling together, in the aim for a better future for ourselves and the next generation.

Written by Mayowa Precious Agbabiaka 

2020 has been a year full of collective grief and second-hand trauma: whether you’ve lost a loved one, seen others lose loved ones, grieved a celebrity death or just been overwhelmed by the effects of the global pandemic. Not to mention the tragic events and murders that brought ’Black Lives Matter’ & ‘Say Her Name’ and many other battles the world was fighting earlier in the year. Either way, many of us can agree it’s been an exhausting year for Black people around the globe, to say the least, however, in spite of this, there is always a resurgence of energy when you’re sick and tired of being sick and tired. This is the energy young people across Nigeria have tapped into over the past week; protesting for the end of SARS and for the government to be held accountable for their poor governance. 

As I type here from London, I have never been more proud because of the resilience shown by protesters. But I can’t help but feel shame that this is the Nigeria many of us in the diaspora have been carrying on our heads like well-wrapped geles, as if it’s a place to be proud of. Particularly when police brutality in our homeland has pushed, beaten, raped, robbed our peers to this point. Earlier this month on Nigerian Independence Day, those of us in the diaspora sat on our Twitter timelines and Instagram feeds parading our ‘green white green’ with pride and largely ignoring the comments expressed by continental Nigerians under the hashtag #Nigeria60andUseless. The ugly truth that fell on deaf ears at the time was that there was nothing to be proud of, however, we can no longer turn a blind eye and they’ve repeatedly and rightly called us out on our privilege. If this has not made you shine your eye yet, it’s time to open wider. 

We can no longer ignore the fact that our age mates and people back home are oppressed by the state. We cannot engage in these useless “this is the Nigeria they don’t show you” discussions or boast about how amazing our food, music and films are to appease the white western gaze, whilst simultaneously ignoring the realities of day-to-day life in Nigeria. Not everybody back home is living that Banana Island life and neither would most of us if we moved back. As Nigerians in the diaspora, whether you’re in the United Kingdom or United States or somewhere else in Europe or in Australia, we are no longer allowed to say “we didn’t know” when the truth is we chose not to know the details.

We have always been aware that corruption and injustice is what governs our home country, but not many of us cared enough to pay attention. “Google is free” is a phrase that is often told (whether rightly or wrongly) to someone behaving ignorantly and right now that demographic is us. We can no longer bask in our ignorance because our support is needed. The solidarity we showed African Americans in their plight is the same one we should be showing continental Nigerians, maybe even with extra vim. As much as George Floyd and Breona Taylor could have been you or me, much more could Jimoh Isiaq and Joy Ndubueze have been us. If our parents, grandparents or carers didn’t make the decision or have the means to move and stay abroad, we too would have countless SARS stories or could even be dead by now.

Your next “Detty December” in Nigeria, could quite easily be your last – even with your accent. 

We are a loud, prideful and somewhat arrogant bunch of people and when it is time to shout, we make ourselves known. Now is that time. Our voices are needed to amplify the work of the protesters and bring international disgrace to the Nigerian Government. Our loved ones, our social media mutuals, the future of Nigeria deserve the right to flex if they want to flex without being met with abuse and violence from the police. They deserve well-lit roads, schools that don’t collapse on them during lessons, constant electricity and water supply.  

Nobody is asking you to personally carry this budding revolution on your head. In fact, there’s no room for saviour complexes or narcissism on the road to change. All that is asked, is for you to not turn your back on those who are asking you to lend your platform and amplify their messages. We’ve seen some celebrities like Trey Songs, Kirk Franklin, Lil Baby and more do so without hesitation. While others (who are Nigerian) such as Ronke Raji, Tomi Adeyemi and Luvvie Ajayi have had to have their arms twisted and digital singlets torn to show some level of solidarity with their homeland.

Regardless, the opportunity is there for us all to play our parts. We do not have to be musicians or big influencers to make an impact, we all have family members and friends who are unaware of what is going on. We have social media pages we can use to inform and share information. We may also have pockets we can open to help protesters afford bail and medical expenses when they are arrested and beaten up for exercising their right to protest. 

 Nigeria has a chance of being the amazing place we had convinced ourselves it is. In order for this to be realised,  we have to speak up. Undoing 400 years of colonial damage in 60 years was never going to be achievable but our collective voices, our willingness to donate, to educate ourselves and to amplify could mean that the next 60 years, on October 1st, Nigeria can really be a country worthy of all our praises. 

Arise o compatriots, Nigeria is calling.

Featured Image Credits: Mayowa Precious Agbabiaka 

Please share any useful information about #ENDSARS protests @nativemag

ICYMI: The LGBT community are not left out of the fight against systematic opression

Wizkid postpones Made In Lagos release due to #EndSars

Posted on by The Native

The menace that is SARS just keeps getting worse. As young Nigerians take to the streets all over the country to protest the unjust acts of the former Special Anti Robbery Squad – which is now being rebranded as SWAT – Wizkid recently announced that ‘Made In Lagos’ will no longer be dropping this week.

We all know how eagerly fans have been waiting for this project, and we were nearly there this time. Having dropped two singles and the official album art, there was a palpable excitement for what was to come, and while this is very annoying, it’s important to note what it means for Wizkid to put this project on pause.

The entire country is united in the fight against years of systemic rot and oppression, starting with unjust killings of many young Nigerians by SARS as the entry point. Right now, the young people of Nigeria are at war with the state and there is no reason to celebrate. We are all connected in this fight and that is currently the most important thing at the moment.

Last Sunday, Wizkid showed up to the protests in London and addressed the crowd and other young Nigerians saying that we must never let anyone tell us that we don’t have a voice, because our collective voices at the moment is what is about to effect some much-needed change.

Before the uproar took the direction it has taken now, Wizkid was one of the first celebrities to directly challenge the government about their nonchalance towards what is going on in the country at the moment, and he has shown great commitment to the fight as any Nigerian citizen should. Putting his album release on hold, to ensure that all focus remains on the fight shows even more committed to the fight, and this time, we will not complain.

On every front, all we care about is #ENDSARS #ENDSWAT #SARSMUSTEND until the menace is over.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGNoaoVjAFD/