Nigerians take to the streets in mass protests against controversial police unit accused of brutality

Lagos, Nigeria(CNN)Nigeria's leading celebrities and activists have organized mass protests across major cities in the country Friday demanding an end to police brutality in the country.

The nationwide protests were a culmination of weeks of anger and outcry online by the country's young people over claims of kidnapping, harassment and extortion by a police unit known as the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS).

On Thursday, a protest was led in Lagos Island by Folarin Falana, a lawyer and singer, and Runtown, an artist known by that stage name.

They were also joined by Nigeria's biggest female performer, Tiwa Savage.

Falana, who is popularly known as Falz, told CNN it was important for him to march because there have been "too many numerous incidents of harassment, extortion and police brutality," in the country. He added that he, too, had been a victim of harassment at the hands of the Nigerian police.

"People have been posting online about it for years, but it has been the same sluggish attitude and response to it. Nothing has changed and people keep on being harassed. That's why we have taken to the streets and we want the government to listen," he said.

"I am marching for the ones that are not recognized. We are surprised by the numbers that came out and we are prepared to march again," he added.

Protests continue into the night
Overnight protests were also held in Lagos mainland Thursday outside the Lagos State Assembly as organizers carried placards and knelt down, chanting 'End SARS.'

A group of protesters, led by Debo Adebayo, a comedian by the stage name of Mr Macaroni, held a protest vigil, running into the third night in a row, in Alausa, Lagos.

Videos from the protesters shared on Twitter Thursday night showed police officers forcefully dispersing the protesters, dismantling their sleeping tents, turning off the street lights and making verbal threats.

Nigeria's police force had responded to the public outcry last Sunday by banning the unit from carrying out any stop-and-search activities.

SARS, as well as other tactical police units, are now prohibited from "carrying out routine patrols and other conventional low-risk. duties -- stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc -- with immediate effect," Nigeria police chief Mohammed Adamu said on Sunday in a statement.

"Voices and complaints on the issues of unprofessional conducts by some SARS operatives have been heard very loudly and clearly," the statement read.

https://amp.cnn.com/cnn/2020/10/09/africa/nigeria-police-sars-police-brutality-intl/index.html

Nna mehn.
It's going nuclear.


Nigeria is an international village.

hmmm serious

They should end APC first.

Arab Spring Loading...

When you push a man to the wall he has no option but to face you, these protest could lead to something even bigger,

Is the Nigerian government ready to face what is coming?

Nigerians can't take bad governance anymore, i hope this leads to civil liberation and not civil war.

The dead brain in Aso Rock will tell you that he's shock to hear that there's protest going on

Buhari is the most electrocuted brainless person in the world

KingOfAmebo:
Arab Spring Loading...

When you push a man to the wall he has no option but to face you, these protest could lead to something even bigger,

Is the Nigerian government ready to face what is coming?

Nigerians can't take bad governance anymore, i hope this leads to civil liberation and not civil war.

They were not expecting it. They block labour. But this one big pass their brain

Nigeria president is shock.

I dey smell something.
REVOLUTION




#ENDSARS

nice one,we are getting international attention now,
next should be our dissolution.

Infact

All because of the hidden agenda of few people.

Nigeria will win over this people.

By the time we're through with this, even that deaf leader of ours will hear.

If the could do this to foreigners what about u

A REVOLUTION IS COMING

The old is man is waiting for a cow to die before he will do something.
Just bring one cow and keep flogging the cow and you will see him spring to action.

frainc:
The dead brain in Aso Rock will tell you that he's shock to hear that there's protest going on

Buhari is the most electrocuted brainless person in the world

An illitrate incompetent ruler that gives no press confrence or live interviews cannot be called a president.
LET THE REVOLUTION BEGIN!
#EndNigeria
DISINTEGRATION OF NIGERIA WILL SAVE MILLIONS OF LIVES FROM BOKO HARAM AND FULANI TERRORISM!! SUPPORT IT.

Nigeria itself needs a total overhauling, starting from our darling daddy from Daura.

more will still happen, I seeing military men

Buhari will be happy now

Nigerians have continued where he stopped with our disgrace

The whole world will now know he was a failure looking for excuses when he went around chanting anti-corruption

Under Buhari, economy and security have failed

What more do you need to classify Nigeria a failed state

Buhari and SARs have scored Own Goal

When you want to rid off bad government policies; you don't start from the head but from the root - A bad leader would always be a bad leader!

#ENDSARS May have gained recognition globally but how come your leaders are not holding emergency behind closed doors meeting?

Buhari is worse more than sars

EndSARSBrutality

Truth .

I have been saying this from day one.....

EndSARS?
Or restructure SARS?
SPECIAL ANTI ROBBERY SQUAD.

Armed robbers are smiling already to come out in full force, to steal, kill, rape and destroy Nigerians, in every part of the country.
What I want is for the biased officers among SARS to face serious repercussions for their crimes, not stopping them outrightly. These same armed robbers and fraudsters are the one supporting the outright ban of Special Anti Roberry Squad, and not serious punishment that will deter other officers from doing the same. (The same fraudsters that will resort to stealing and armed robbery if their maga refused to pay anymore, they will resort to crime to keep up with their flashy lifestyle). For every 10 good arrest of robbers and criminals that we see on Nairaland everyday , there must be one killing of innocent people by the bad eggs among them. Cutting off the head is not the solution to headache.
If SPECIAL ANTI ROBBERY SQUAD is banned instead of serious punishment for the bad officers involved, Nigerians should get ready for the aftermath, I am only sorry for the good and innocent people that will be affected, many that will be robbed, raped, beaten and stabbed and they look back and regret the day they support END Special ANTI ROBBERY SQUAD in Nigeria!
I have said my part.

Princedapace:


Thank u o. I wonder why we dont ban all lecturers becus some of them were caught sleeping and raping female students for grades. I have said it over and over again, what we need is to request for serious punishment for any SARS officer who misbehave becus banning SARs complete in a crime prone country like Nigeria that does not even have enough security men is a bad move. Serious bad move! It is a pity! Road trips are already dangerous before now. It will be hell soon.

As for fraudsters, well, congrats to them. I just hope efcc will hit up more on them. Those fraudsters just want to defraud people and want us to accept fraud as a way of life. God forbit. Becus of these fraudsters, many websites have banned Nigerian IP!

Bless you.

Naso

Good

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ILoveDemMANNA:
EndSARSBrutality

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[s]

ILoveDemMANNA:
Naso

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This is what happens when you have an irresponsible man as president .

myBraine:
All because of the hidden agenda of few people.

Nigeria will win over this people.

Which hidden agenda ?
You have been bought.

Yes o

Anybody supporting SARZ reform will become a victim of police brutality---- #ENDSARSNOW