National Association of Online Security Reporters, NAOSRE, reviews the factors that led to #ENDSARS# protests in Nigeria resulting in unquantifiable losses in human and capital leading to government official offering remedies. The Inspector-General of Police, Adamu Mohammed, during the week was in Lagos for on-the-spot assessment of the level of destruction. NAOSRE’s Secretary, Dayo Bamgbala who was on tour with the IG, presents the report
While preparations were in top gears for a professional and peaceful policing of the entire length and breadth of Nigeria in view of the yuletide season that usually attracts unusual traffic, the Nigeria Police Force and indeed, security agents in Nigeria had to fall back on its reservoir of strategy to deal with sudden protests over Police brutality.
Within days, what started as isolated protests against the police snowballed into a national showdown.
The protesters made specific demand on President Muhammadu Buhari and Inspector General of Police, IGP, Abubakar Mohammed to terminate the Special Anti Robbery Squad, a Nigerian police unit that has been tasked over the past three decades with fighting violent crime, including banditry and kidnapping. The protest was aptly tagged #ENDSARS#.
The public outrage over the impunity of SARS was triggered by the reported shooting of a young Nigerian in Ughelli, Delta state.
Home and abroad, lots of high profile Nigerians including celebrities took up the cause to end.