If you’re living under a rock, or only watching your local news, you might not be aware of the tragic injustice taking place against our brothers and sisters in Nigeria. Similar to that of the U.S., they are dealing with unjustified and unwarranted police searches that are invasive and unlawful. The people of Lagos and many other countries have taken to the streets to protest and fight this crooked and unjust system.
SARS also known as the “Special Anti Robbery Squad,” much like our policing system, was set up to “protect” civilians from criminal activity. It would seem as though they’re the criminals. Several youth in Nigeria have come forward accusing the officers of extortion, harassment, violent attacks, and even killing. These youth are profiled and accused of fraud because they possess luxury cars, clothes, or even a phone. The horrors have even begun to spread beyond a routine stop and frisk, as some have been asked to withdraw money from their accounts while being threatened with abuse or even death.
Police brutality in any country of any kind is inhumane and a direct attack on our very humanity. It’s important that we amplify the voices of the oppressed across the world. It’s up to us to use our platform and resources to successfully bring awareness to this outright violation of human rights. To find out how you can do more, tune-in to “The Black Report,” or follow the hashtag #EndSARS on your favorite social platform.