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Nigeria’s federal Special Anti-Theft Squad (SARS) is widely accused of illegal arrests, torture and even murder.
Hundreds of people have protested alleged police brutality for a second day in Nigeria after a video of a man allegedly killed by police went viral.
Anger has been brewing on social media after the video of the alleged murder in the southern Delta state, which authorities denied was real.
The man who filmed the video was arrested, sparking even more anger.
Hundreds of young people gathered on Friday in Ikeja, in the center of Lagos, with banners reading “respect for human rights” and “a more equal society.”
In Abuja, scores of protesters also gathered and police forces used tear gas to disperse the protesters, according to eyewitness accounts.
“Our members were about 200 in the protest. Tear gas was applied to us, ”human rights activist Deji Adeyanju told AFP news agency.
“It is sad that they are cracking down on peaceful civil protests.”
Protester Anita Izato posted on Twitter: “They tear gassed each and every one of us, it’s so hot that I had to put water on my face. This is what Nigeria has become. “
Lagos is holding a peaceful protest and in Abuja, they are throwing tear gas at us and shooting at us !!!#EndSARSImmediately #BujaProtestas pic.twitter.com/Shu8JYbAqH
– Oyiowoh (@Anita_Izato) October 9, 2020
‘We are all at risk of being tortured’
The protest movement was initially aimed at the federal Special Anti-Theft Squad (SARS), widely accused of illegal arrests, torture and even murder, but has since expanded to include all police forces.
While the SARS unit was suspended on Sunday, groups like Amnesty International said the government had not gone far enough and pointed to previous failed attempts to ban the force.
The hashtag #EndSARS is believed to have been used for the first time in 2018.
There were over 2.4 million tweets with #EndSARS on Friday. Several celebrities also expressed their support for the movement.
Three years ago, the Nigerian police chief reorganized SARS after public condemnation for the violence that came with its operations. That change has done nothing for Nigerians and today many remain in danger. #EndSarsProtests
– John Boyega (@JohnBoyega) October 9, 2020
Sandra Ezekwesili, a Nigerian television journalist, also joined the discussion and urged people to keep protesting:
I said this last week, “focus, stay angry!”
They can’t kill us all. #EndSarsProtests pic.twitter.com/VCZWMGdChD
– Sandra Ezekwesili (@SEzekwesili) October 9, 2020
Amnesty International also expressed its opinion:
Everything about #SARS in a minute; pic.twitter.com/Ba07NzQ3iT
– Amnesty Int. Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) October 9, 2020
Florence Ifeoluwa Otedola, also known as DJ Cuppy, was behind the movement:
I would be lying if I said I am DIRECTLY affected by SARS, but a lot of my Cupcakes are and that’s enough for me to care. I’m behind the movement to #EndPoliceBrutality Y #EndSARS 🇳🇬
– #CopiaOriginal 🧁 (@cuppymusic) October 9, 2020
“The movement is growing,” said Chinoso Esengba, a 29-year-old doctor who was participating in Friday’s protest.
“This problem affects us all. We all run the risk of being tortured, arrested, extorted without good reason. “
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