Peaceful ENDSARS protesters and Shenanigans

Only a gun put to my head could make me proclaim albeit under duress that Nigeria is rightly presided over. And I know for a fact, that same thing would apply to lots more Nigerians other than me, both resident home and abroad.

It is intentional anyways, the fact that I had always shied away from writing on politically related issues. The reason being that it could be mentally draining when writing about realistic suggestions and solutions to the many ills of the country, yet no leader seems to bulge about the feelings of the masses.   

In the past however, complaints and struggles had always been fought by the masses in their living room, usually after the News on TV and then family members get to deliberate. Reporters on their part goes the extra mile to interview Lawmakers, penning to pad, whatever obvious ‘lies’ the latter had uttered and hence the dailies printed forth for the masses to consume further lies and failed promises. And as they argue amongst themselves on the state of the Nation, giving useful tips on the way forward for a better Nigeria, the ideologies of the masses always die a natural death right beside the airspace of the Vendor’s shop.

Not many Nigerian have the onus to call for their rights, except for the very few who later fought for democracy from the hands of the Military. With the advent of internet and Social Media however, the struggle and call for a better Nigeria has now shifted Online, with Nigerian youths (whom President Buhari once labelled lazy anyway) going gaga at every anomaly in the affairs of the Nation.

And despite the fact that Nigeria is democratically Governed and then with the FOI (Freedom of information) bill especially put in place, tactically Buhari’s Administration has never been the one that is open to feedbacks and criticisms. So petty a regime that considers any contrary opinion as hate speech. Even Online comments, video or post on the internet space are constantly being monitored, and might be put-down as unacceptable if it negates the opinion of the President.

 At other times in the event of protests, protest Leaders are many times summoned and allegedly threatened too, just so they are able to curb oppositions, most of which are harmless and innocent. Nigeria was supposed to be for everyone, but tactically, it seems to belong to the ruling class and the members of their families.

For a long time coming, internet complaint was the norm, Most Nigerian youths gave lesser attention to politics and onward state of the Nation, only to show a higher level of zeal to Media and Entertainment. This was until a few weeks ago when the youths decided to put up a good cause via a peaceful protest.   

It all started and according to a viral video where men of the Federal-Special Anti-Robbery Squad (F-SARS) allegedly killed a young man and made away with his exotic car and the cash he had on him.

This is a familiar news though. From trigger happy policemen firing shots to helpless citizens, to other forms of police brutality. The scourge of the FSARS men harassing innocent members of the public, major victims being youths has been a common happenstance for as long as I can remember.

Under the guise of hunting for Cyber Criminals (popularly referred to as Yahoo-Yahoo in local parlance) the F-SARS has had to harass young men and women that looked a certain type of way and labelling them criminals. Like having a really smooth and fresh skin, wore a dread, having tattoos all over and hair colors other than black, adorning heavy jewelries, having any form of body piercings, probably drives a flashy and expensive car, owing an I-phone and then being in possession of Apple Laptops especially.

When the aforementioned traits come in the skin of a young person, they are automatically stereotyped as Armed Robbers or Cyber Criminals. It is that bad.  

And to think that the FSARS would not only harass these people, but could sometimes torture before going ahead to extort, is rather appalling. These normally and in most cases are hardworking youths. From being Media Personnel to Music stars, Bloggers and Footballers, young CEOs of big Companies and IT Executives etc. These are people who would definitely live by and large having made much money and expectedly as young people, could decide to live funky too.

Without any iota of doubt, Cyber Criminals and Armed Robbers are a menace that should be curbed. Curtailing Armed Robbery was why FSARS was created, but the investigation, trial and arrest of Cyber Criminals is primarily the duties of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) as well as the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offenses Commission (ICPC).

 But because the Yahoo-yahoo boys (mostly not armed) are the easier to prey on, FSARS took it upon them to go about fishing them out, allegedly extorting them and then unfortunately are set free. And as far as innocent young people with legitimate source of livelihood is concerned, not coming forth with requested ‘bribes’  when they are arrested makes them susceptible to being harassed into submission and either paraded as Armed Robbers or allegedly killed.

There had even been several reported cases of FSARS violating the Human Rights of people, by unlawfully bursting into their homes and searching their privacies without a warrant, sometimes sexually molesting females in the process.

No surprises then that thousands of Nigerian youths across all states in the Country had taken to the streets, to peacefully protest an end to SARS and to general police brutality too. And in few days even though the Inspector General of Police had immediately disbanded the team, forming up a new team called SWAT (Special Weapon and Tactics) in lieu, this was rejected by the protesting youths on the basis that only a name changed occurred, the same set of officers were transferred to SWAT.

As a matter of fact, the protesters began to demand for an end to police brutality in general, and that there should be police reformation too, generally calling for an end to bad governance in the process.

The protest which started out very peacefully, had youths in their large numbers stationed in strategic locations across various states in Nigeria. They had Coordinated and managed them in a reasonable manner too. Funds rolled in Globally for the feeding and general wellbeing of protesters, and even though the Federal Government at some point allegedly frustrated the efforts at getting funded, alternative fund sources were provided.  Initially, there was no history of theft or molestation despite the very large turn-out, there were also supports from various Organizations mostly owned by young people too;

Hashtagged;

#ENDSARS

#ENDSWAT

#Endpolicebrutality

#Endbadgovernance, etc.

Then the peaceful protest began to turn chaotic when policemen began to tear-gas protesters in some states, shooting water Canons at them until they began to fire live bullets which took the life of one Jimoh Isiaq, a protest onlooker from Ogbomoso, Oyo State of Nigeria. In the days after, sponsored thugs allegedly driven in vehicles of prominent persons and Organizations attacked protesters to disperse them.

The protesters remained unshaken.

The other crop of thugs (the uneducated youths) who though were not sponsored hijacked the protest; the struggles automatically went south. Hiding under the guise of protest they began to steal, molest women. They began to angrily burn properties and then loot stalls owned by private persons. Banks were not left out of the burning spree too. This is the demon brought about as a result of making Education so expensive that it became unaffordable for the poor Nigerian.

They did not see the reason why making grievances known to the Government should be overly peaceful.

In the middle of these distractions and supposed setbacks, the legitimate peaceful protesters, especially the ones stationed at Lekki/Toll-gate in Lagos State remained determined and unshaken. Never in the history of this Country had the elite youths especially been this united.

But Tuesday, 20:10:2020, the 13^th day of the protest, it ended up being a black Sunday.

The Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwoolu had announced at 1pm, that there would be a 24-hour curfew slated for 4pm same. How insensitive.  This was after citizens had literarily journeyed between 60 to 100 Kilometers or even more farther away from home. Returning home most likely might make them spend between 5-7 hours on the road, no thanks to the regular Lagos gridlock.

Public outcry and the regular boos on the Social Media Accounts of the Governor, I guess must have informed his decision, he later extended the curfew to 9pm.

Regardless of the curfew, the Lekki/Toll-gate protesters defied the order and protested still, yet in a civil and peaceful manner. Until late at night when men of the Nigerian Army allegedly arrived in droves to the protest ground, shooting directly at young men and women whom from their Instagram lives and recorded videos, we saw them scamper for safety, chanting the National Anthem and waived the National flags at the soldiers too.

 More than a few scores were injured, the numbers of dead people could not really be ascertained since eyewitnesses account has alleged the killer squad left with the corpses. They even prevented ambulances sent forth to rescue injured victims from doing so.

That was one of the worse days ever in the history of the country.

Surprisingly at dawn, the Governor of the state denied being privy to who the killers were, and even held a press conference where he assured that no lives were lost. I still wonder who does that?

 And even though many evidences allegedly pointed accusing fingers at Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as being the culprit who ordered those miscreants in military uniforms, he had since denied being the Master-minder. And with the Defence Spokesman denying the shooters and insisting that those shooting videos were ‘photoshopped’, the Nigerian Leaders and Authorities are beginning to go their regular way of lying and manipulating issues.  

But with the population of youths being almost 40%, disregarding the fact that Sunday Akin Dare, the Minister for Youths and Sports is 54 years of age, more-or-less a father figure than a peer to understand how we fee, our Leaders hanky-panky with the welfarism of the Nigerian populace regardless, the political class right now should be mindful that, it’ll no longer be business as usual for no-accountability of public funds, bad governance, god-Fatherism, corruption, etc.

This protest has clearly shown how dogged and presumably energetic the Nigerian youths can be. Kudos also to the youths in diaspora that protested, we will take back our land.