Why Nigerians Protest Police Brutality

For more than a quarter century, SARS led the nation’s most serious crimes: armed robbery, kidnapping, assault and murder. But over time it has become notorious for alleged abuses committed with apparent impunity.

But critics say the #EndSARS campaign has produced little change.

Detainees in SARS custody have been subjected to a variety of torture methods including hanging, mock execution, hitting, punching and kicking, burning with cigarettes, scuba diving, asphyxiating with plastic bags, forcing detainees to assume bodily positions stressors and sexual violence, “the report said.

“The results of our investigation indicate that few cases are investigated and that almost no officers are brought to justice for torture and other ill-treatment.”

How did the recent riots start?

After weeks of online protests by the country’s youth over allegations of kidnapping, harassment and extortion by SARS, protesters began taking to the streets about two weeks ago.

Amnesty International said in a tweet on Tuesday that “thugs and sponsored thugs” were also attacking peaceful protesters across the country.

Members of the Nigerian diaspora community also staged protests in solidarity with their counterparts at home, with demonstrations as far away as Canada, England, Germany and the United States.

Buhari said the dissolution of SARS was “only the first step” in comprehensive police reform. “We will also ensure that all those responsible for misconduct or wrongdoing are brought to justice,” he added, insisting that “the vast majority of men and women in the police force are hard-working and diligent in the performance of their duties.”

But protesters are demanding broader reforms and greater protections against police, including independent monitoring and psychological evaluation of officers.

Amnesty said many doubt that the promised changes will make a difference. “Nigerians are skeptical about the authorities’ promise to end police atrocities because past claims to reform SARS have turned out to be empty words,” the human rights group tweeted on Monday.

A 17-year-old boy died in police custody on Monday in Kano, a city in the north of the country, after allegedly being tortured, according to Amnesty International.

Many protesters and journalists were attacked by police in the capital Abuja on the same day, the human rights group said. Videos on social media show dozens of cars belonging to protesters on fire and Amnesty said three people had been killed.

What happened during the night in Lagos?

Violence broke out in Lagos hours after the state’s governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, imposed a 24-hour curfew and deployed riot police in the city in an attempt to prevent further unrest.

Eyewitnesses told CNN that they had seen several protesters shot by soldiers at the city’s Lekki tollbooth Tuesday night. CNN has not yet been able to independently confirm the victims.

A witness to the protests, Akinbosola Ogunsanya, said lights were turned off and closed-circuit television cameras were removed before “members of the Nigerian military approached us and started shooting.”

“They were shooting, they were shooting directly, directly at us, and a lot of people were hit. I barely survived,” Ogunsanya said.

Another witness, Temple Onanugbo, spoke to CNN from his nearby home and said he heard what he believed were bullet shots. He said the sound lasted “between 15 and 30 minutes.” Onanugbo said he saw “several bodies on the ground.”

The state government has ordered an investigation into the incident, a spokesman for the governor said.

Amnesty said Tuesday that it had received “credible but disturbing evidence” of “excessive use of force that resulted in the deaths of protesters.”

“As we continue to investigate the killings, Amnesty International wishes to remind the authorities that, according to international law, security forces may only use deadly force when strictly unavoidable to protect against an imminent threat of death or serious injury. the rights group tweeted.