Taking a Stand: Raising awareness about SARS in Nigeria
One of the many protests centered around the #ENDSARS movement within the last few weeks (News Break)
For the past two weeks, Nigerians have taken to the streets to protest the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force that was designed to handle crimes like robbery and theft. However, they have been abusing their power by using violence, extortion, and targeting young people and women. Because of this, the #EndSARS movement was created to protest against police brutality and reform the police force.
Nigerian protesters, especially young people, are making their voices heard through social media platforms. They posted pictures and videos of the violent acts SARS conducted and caught the attention of people from around the world about the movement. Now, young adults are using apps like Twitter and Instagram to inform and amplify Nigerian voices to make more people be aware of what is going on in their country.
People have taken action in the Maryland area as well. On October 20th, a protest took place outside of Nigerian Ambassador Sylvanius Adiewere Nsofor’s home in Potomac, Maryland. Demonstrators gathered outside of the ambassador’s house outraged over the recent shootings of protesters in Nigeria. Adaure Onu-Chiedo, a business analysis, attended the protest. She felt that protesting was the only other way to get involved and spread awareness.
“It’s important to me to raise awareness in America about the SARS protest because of the lasting effect it has had on the youth,” she said. “Shedding light on the police brutality that has been running rampant in Nigeria gives the youth a larger voice.”
Onu-Chiedo was at the protest from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. and had a goal in mind as she thought about how the youth were suffering.
“My hope was to get the ambassador to hear our frustration and understand that we Nigerians in diaspora stand in solidarity with the youth of Nigeria,” Onu-Chiedo explained.
A University of Maryland student also took advantage of social media by attending a candlelight vigil in remembrance of those who were killed in the protests. Freshman information science major, MaryAnne Onianwah attended the vigil outside the Nigerian Embassy in Washington D.C. At the event, the vigil organizers gave speeches to encourage Nigerian youth everywhere to be the voice of those in Nigeria who couldn’t because of their fear of the government.
Onianwah described her emotional experience at the embassy.
“We chanted and shouted at the injustice and brutality that is being done right now in Nigeria, crying out for the leaders to acknowledge the wrongdoings against their own people,” Onianwah said.
Onianwah emphasized that it is important to spread the news because we need to remember that Black Lives Matter isn’t just for the people in the United States but for all Black people around the world who face injustices and aggressions anywhere.
“We cannot just sit back and watch police brutality being committed in a country that isn’t our own,” she said. “We must defend all those who cannot speak for themselves.”
She leaves off with a quote from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. that says “injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.”
Although there’s still a long way to go for police reform, the youth takes the effort a long way by sharing across media platforms and encouraging their peers to get involved.