Page 25 - Institute Quaterly 5 Final

conduct an investigation of the alleged unlawful activities of SARS - Increase police salary so that they can be adequately
in order to afford members of the general the opportunity to compensated for protecting lives and property of
present their grievances with a view to ensuring redress. Public citizens.
hearings confirmed 95% of the allegations of extrajudicial killings
by SARS. The findings of this Panel are yet to be made available The government was quick in acceding to these demands
to the public.” including the immediate disbandment of SARS. It also advised
all 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja to constitute
It was in this context that on Saturday, 3 October, 2020 a video panels of inquiry that will investigate the alleged infractions by
showing SARS operatives dragging two men out of a hotel in the dismantled SARS and compensate the victims.
Ughelli area of Delta State, South Nigeria and shooting one of
them surfaced on the internet and was immediately followed However, the #EndSARS protesters remained skeptical of these
by outrage from the #EndSARS movement. Although, the police government efforts arguing that it had made similar promises in
released statements to dispel the account portrayed on the video the past that were not fulfilled. The protests therefore continued
and offered an alternative explanation that the alleged victim amidst this distrust.
was arrested but not killed, the outrage continued and led to the
street protests. #EndSARS Protest Strategy
The main strategy of the #EndSARS movement was street
On 11 October, 2020 the #EndSARS published the 5 demands protests. In over 25 states of the federation, daily during the
below: course of the movement, thousands of youths converged at
- Immediate release of all arrested protesters, identified locations and proceeded to march through major
- Justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and streets holding placards and standing in front of strategic
appropriate compensation for their families government buildings such as the secretariat or parliament.
- Setting up an independent body to oversee the In Lagos state, Nigeria’s commercial capital, the #EndSARS
investigation and prosecution of all reports of police protesters set up barricades at the Admiralty Toll Plaza popularly
misconduct (within 10 days) called the Lekki Toll Gate effectively blocking the travel route
- In line with the new Police Act psychological evaluation between Lekki and the rest of Lagos. They also did same in parts
and retraining (to be confirmed by an independent of Abuja and several other states.
body) of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be
redeployed