Why the trend changed from #EndSARS to #EndSWAT

#EndSWAT

The #EndSARS campaign which surged from the beginning of October was a call for police brutality and alleged criminal offenses of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad within the country to end.

While speculators wondered if the campaign would come to an end, following the Inspector General of police’s disbandment of SARS on Sunday, 11th, 2020; many protesters changed course, calling for the IG’s proposition of forming a new anti-robbery unit to be put to the sword.

To go by the name Special Weapon and Tactics (SWAT) team, the new anti-robbery police unit is meant to replace the now-defunct SARS. They would be tasked with carrying out the duties previously assigned to SARS.

The IG of police in a statement chipped in that members of SWAT would undergo a psychological and medical examination before admission into the force. He stressed that the unit would be held accountable for abuse of authority or violation of human rights. According to him, the unit would begin training from Monday, 19th October 2020.

#EndSWAT

But Nigerians took to Twitter just hours after the announcement, calling for the disbandment of SWAT, with the hashtag #EndSWAT trending immediately. According to them, SWAT is just a rebrand of SARS and is not the police reform they request for from the government.

Some of the reasons put forward by protesters for the #EndSWAT campaign include;

  • The use of ex-SARS operative in forming SWAT
  • Admission of ex-convicts into the force, and
  • Lack of disciplinary action drafted for operatives who abuse human rights.

In answer to that, the police have listed the following criteria as the qualification for admitting members into the SWAT team:

  • No former SARS operative would be a member of the SWAT team.
  • Only young, smart, and vibrant officers must be selected for training.
  • Officers must have over seven years of experience and a clean record – he/she must have no pending disciplinary issue, a record of violation of human rights, or a record of misuse of firearms.
  • Officers must be strong enough to withstand the rigors of SWAT training and operations.
  • Selected officers must undergo physical fitness tests, medical and toxicology screening, etc and unqualified candidates shall be discharged.
#EndSWAT

Talks are still been held as to the promised police reforms while protesters continue to make their voices heard.

Stay up to date with happenings and news around you. Top-up airtime or data and subscribe your GOtv, DStv, or Startimes on VTpass. Download the mobile app here.

Diving into the #EndSARS Campaign

The latest hashtag trending all over Nigerian social media is the #EndSARS hashtag which has geared over 3 million tweets, excluding related hashtags such as #EnsSARS #SARSMUSTEND, and #SarsMustGo.

Aside from social media, #EndSARS has been physically protested – most notably, in Lagos and Abuja. People stormed the streets since Tuesday, 6th November 2020, protesting and calling for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

Nigerians overseas, especially those in Europe and North America, equally joined the campaign. While certain Nigerian celebrities voiced their opinions through videos and social media live transmits, non-Nigerian celebrities such as Trey Song, Cardi B, and Big Sean gave online activists a boost by their reactions to the campaign. Most notably, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing made a tweet on October 11th, 2020, supporting the Nigerian Police decision to ban SARS.

#EndSARS
Protesters on the streets of London, United Kingdom

So why all the noise? You may ask. What is #EndSARS all about and why is the movement making headlines in Nigeria?

How it Started

#EndSARS first began as a social media wake-up call started by Segun Awosanya in 2017 against the alleged brutality of the police unit. The campaign died down in the middle of 2018 as not a lot of people paid attention to activists call for the scrapping of the force.

On Saturday 3 October 2020, a video trended on social media showing a SARS police officer shoot a young Nigerian in front of Wetland Hotel, Delta State. The video prompted a public outcry on social media against the brutality.

Subsequent video and pictures containing alleged actions of SARS officers flooded social media. The campaign resurged with the hashtag #ENDSARS, culminating into advocacies, online activism, and protests.

#EndSARS
Protesters with Nigerian Police Force in Lagos

Nationwide protests started on October 8th; a face-off of peaceful protesters and the Nigerian Police who tried to disperse the crowd through the use of teargas and water sprays. Concurrently, protests broke out in London, Canada, and the United States, calling for the Nigerian government to put an end to the police unit.

Accusations Made Against SARS

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad officers have been accused of illegally arresting Nigerians, especially youths, and extorting money or other valuables from them. SARS has equally been accused of mounting illegal roadblocks, searching without a warrant, rape, treating suspects brutally, and killing innocent Nigerians

In 2016, an Amnesty International report surfaced, accusing SARS of human abuse, cruelty, torture, and degrading treatment of detainees – such as severe beating, hanging, and shooting detainees in the leg.

Inspector-General of the Nigerian Police Force: Mohammmed Adamu

Response from Nigerian Authorities

Given the uproar, the Deputy Governor of Lagos, Femi Hamzat, addressed protesters on October 9, 2020, stressing that the police have no right to arrest or extort citizens of their personal effects without proper investigations and reason. He however alluded protesters to remain peaceful in their protest.

That same day, Lagos State House of Assembly held an emergency meeting to address the petition signed and submitted to the National Assembly by 10, 195 protesters. Some of the issues discussed by the House was the necessity to dissolve the Special Anti-Robbery Squad and set up a new unit in it’s place with a clear code of conduct and sanctions for illegalities.

Yesterday, been Sunday, 11th of October, 2020, the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, announced the dissolution of SARS. While some Nigerians took the announcement as a victory, many others called for the permanent elimination of the unit from existence, stressing that the government has banned SARS three times before now without substance.

#EndSARS

Where does VTpass stand?

It’s a sad moment for everyone witnessing these events happening around the country. On the other hand, however, the people’s voice ought to be heard as it is constitutionally structured to be.

As a brand, it is our responsibility to look beyond business when supporting matters that most concern our customers. On that note, VTpass stands with Nigerians in the fight for justice against illegal police oppression, the abuse of power, and disregard of human rights. #ENDSARS.