If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a BLIND AND TOOTHLESS NATION

Martin Luther King Jr said, “If we do an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, we will be a blind and toothless nation.” Nigerian politicians and leaders are believed to have plundered the wealth of the country for decades. As a result, youths are on looting and stealing rampage on the streets as they campaign to #ENDSARS.

During the #ENDSARS protest at Lekki, in Lagos on the night of 20th October, at about 6.30 pm, the Nigerian military opened fire during a peaceful demonstration and massacred innocent civilians. Now, the Nigerian youths are capturing Police Officers, local businesses and government properties, and setting them on fire. “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth” is clearly making Nigeria a blind and toothless country.

#ENDSARS

End SARS was a peaceful protest aimed to highlight police brutality in Nigeria. The slogan calls for an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, known as SARS, a controversial unit of the Nigerian Police with a long record of abuses.

ENDSARS gathered momentum two weeks ago after a video appeared on social media showing Police Officers shoot and kill a man. As a result, many stories and other evidences of police harassment, victimisation, rape, assault, intimidation, unlawfully arrests, extortion and murdering innocent citizens circulated widely. Nigerian Police have always been unconventional. A 2016 index of world policing ranked Nigeria’s force as the worst out of 127 countries. Nigerians across the country have too often been terrorised by those supposed to protect and serve them.

Lekki Massacre

The shooting of peaceful protestors in Lekki has highlighted the injustice and the kind of police and state brutality that have fuelled the #ENDSARS movement in the first place.

At Lekki, in Lagos on 20 October, Nigeria’s flag was stained with the blood of innocent protesters. The young protestors were clutching onto their national flag when security forces opened fire at the Lekki tollgate. The state’s governor initially denied that anyone was killed, but later confirmed that it was just one fatality, only for witnesses to release videos and photos of multiple fatalities among the hundreds gathered in defiance of a curfew.

State violence permeates society

The government said it would disband the SARS squad, but added that it would create a new unit known as SWAT. The head of the police Mohammed Adamu, announced that SWAT would carry out the duties done by the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS). Nigerians were outraged by the unveiling of the new police unit. They see the changes as not enough to reform the police, as they believed it is the same people in a new uniform. As a result, they produced another campaign known as #ENDswat on Twitter. To replace a notorious agency that was disbanded following public outcry over its alleged human rights abuses with another, is inconceivable.

Nationwide protest

The most peaceful demonstrations have been disrupted by the massacre of young people in Lekki. Amnesty International said last Tuesday that at least ten people were killed in the protests, but reports gave much higher figures.

The event that started in Lagos and Abuja is now becoming a nationwide unrest.

In the eastern part of the country, activists have marched in the oil hub of Port Harcourt in defiance of a ban on demonstrations imposed by the Rivers State governor.

At least three people have been shot dead during a clash between campaigners and police in Ibadan, Oyo State capital on Tuesday, witnesses say.

On Wednesday 21 October, protesters set Nwaorieubi Police Divisional Headquarters in Mbaitoli LGA of Imo State on fire.

In Ondo State, protesters ignored the curfew and three people were reported killed as the police shot at protesters.

The police spokesperson, Haruna Mohammed confirmed that a police officer was beheaded and burnt to ashes by suspected hoodlums during the #ENDSARS protest on Thursday, 22 October, in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Protests were also held in the commercial hub, Lagos, the country’s capital, Abuja, and many other cities.

“A leader can never win a battle against his own people”

Former president, Goodluck Jonathan has condemned the shooting of #ENDSARS protesters by security forces. Jonathan, in a statement last Thursday, said the federal government did not talk with the protesters before using force. He added that such actions will only worsen the situation, which he said has already happened.

He said, “As leaders, we must understand that we can never win a battle against our own people.”

Buhari emergency meeting of former Nigerian presidents

The tension was so bad that the current president had to hold a virtual emergency meeting with his predecessors, to find a way to end the unrest.

President Buhari presided over a National Security Council meeting with some former heads of state, including, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd.), former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Gen Abdulsalami Abubakar (rtd.), former President Goodluck Jonathan, and former head of interim national government, Chief Ernest Shonekan.

Others who are physically present at the meeting are members of the security chiefs, including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; National Security Adviser, Major General Babagana Monguno (rtd.); Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olanisakin; Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu; Director-General, Department of State Services, Yusuf Bichi; and Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ahmed Rufai, among others.

Government of the people for the people

Protestors have grown up expecting the state to do little. Democracy in this part of the world is not a government of the people by the people for the people. It is more like a government of the people against the people for politicians’ personal and selfish gains. Some now call for President Buhari to quit. More broadly, people link the state’s poor response to the youth’s campaign as a sign that the government does not care. In addition, the soaring unemployment, worsened by the pandemic, has fuelled more anger and increased anti-government protest.

The protest induced by police brutality has now evolved into much more than #ENDSARS. Activists are now seeking justice for the bereaved families, the right training of police officers and an independent body to investigate the unlawful killing by SARS, an end to bad governance and corruption. Campaigners also want adequate pay for police officers, and many more reforms.

Some states have now created investigative panels, but the offending police officers have yet to be arrested. Worse still, the number of deaths in police custody and on the streets have continued to rise.

Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari in a recent statement said that 69 people have been killed in the protests against police brutality that have rocked the country. The deceased were mainly civilians but include police officers and soldiers.

The #ENDSARS campaign against police brutality has drawn high-profile support around the world, from Rapper, Kanye West; Singer, Beyoncé; Preacher, T.D Jakes; Movie Director, Tyler Perry; to Manchester United forward, Marcus Rashford; Boxer, Anthony Joshua; Manchester United Striker, Odion Ighalo; and Hollywood actor, John Boyega. This is a stark contrast to the muted response from leaders in the region. The South African president, Cyril Ramaphosa, who is the chairman of the African Union, and Ghana’s president, Nana Akufo-Addo, chairman of the West African ECOWAS bloc, spoke out strongly on George Floyd’s death. However, they appear less keen to address police brutality in their neighbouring country. But, Nigerian youths have good reason to protest.