Democracy and Social Media: The Nigerian Story on #endSARS

[Gozie51]

They say political power belongs to the people. This has been demonstrated in Africa during the Arab Spring that started in Tunisia to Egypt, Libya and sacked the then governments with force.

The Arab Spring was a series of anti-government protests, uprisings, and armed rebellions that spread across much of the Arab world in the early 2010s. It began in response to oppressive regimes and a low standard of living, starting with protests in Tunisia.

With a visit to google on the meaning and definition of democracy, every definition has mentioned people as the centre of democratic tenants

Democracy is a system of government that bases its legitimacy on the participation of the people. While democratic governments come in ...

A democracy is a country in which the people choose their government by voting for it. The new democracies face tough

Democracy is a system of government in which power is vested in the people and exercised by them directly or through ...

The form of government in which political control is exercised by all the people, either directly or through their elected representatives."[ 5] "The word democracy itself means rule by the people.

Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to ... No consensus exists on how to define democracy, but legal equality, political freedom and rule of law have .

government by the people; especially : rule of the majority

government by the people; a form of government in which the supreme power is vested in the people and exercised ...

Democracy is a form of government in which the people have the authority to choose their governing legislation. Who people are and how authority is shared among them are core issues for democratic theory, development and constitution.  

Abraham Lincoln, democracy is a government "of the people, by the people, and for the people. ...

a system of government by the whole population or all the eligible members of a state, typically through elected representatives.

Having given this background, It looks like the Nigerian people are beginning to wake up to this integral ingredient of democracy. The current wave of uninterrupted democratic governance by the military in Nigeria started in 1999. By that time till 2010/11, it was called nascent democracy. A time that it was assumed a learning stage of democracy in the Nigerian polity and political space.

Nigeria during this time has her first major protest in 2012. The people exercised this people oriented power after the then government announced the end of fuel subsidies on New Year's Day, 2012. This massive protest that turned out people, forced that government to rescind and swallow her words on the subsidy remover.


That was at a pack in Ojota, Lagos.

The power belongs to the people is again playing itself out and positively to say. The protest that is tagged #endSars in 48 hours has made the present government to listen and introduced measures to implement the five point demand by the protest.

The protest purpose is to end extrajudicial killings by the police and the unit called SARS. The unit has been accused of extrajudicial killings, extortion and torture, especially of young people.



SARS is an Acronym. And These are The Assigned Duties

The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a Nigerian Police Force unit created in late 1992 to deal with crimes associated with robbery, motor vehicle theft, kidnapping, cattle rustling, and firearms. It was part of the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (FCIID), headed by Deputy Inspector General of Police

SARS was controversial for its links to extrajudicial killings, extortion, torture, framing, blackmail, kidnapping, illegal organ trade, armed robbery, home invasions, rape of both men & women, child arrests, the invasion of privacy & the destruction of water bodies through the illegal disposal of human remains. After widespread protests in Nigeria and worldwide under the motto "End SARS",the unit was disbanded on 11 October 2020. Inspector General of PoliceM.A. Adamu said that a new unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) would replace the SARS. He said that SARS personnel would report to police headquarters for debriefing and examination. Within hours of the announcement, some Nigerians took to Twitter with the hashtag #EndSWAT,and demonstrations continued amid fears that police reform will not materialize.[Talk about Twitter and social media where it started.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special_Anti-Robbery_Squad

However, the five demand of the protest are :

1. Immediate release of all arrested protesters.

2. Justice for all deceased victims of police brutality and appropriate compensations for their families.

3. Setting up an independent body to oversee the investigation and prosecution of all reported police misconduct within a period of 10 days

4. Carrying out psychological evaluation and retaining of all disbanded SARS operatives before they can deployed (this should be verified by an independent body).

5. The government should increase police salary and they should adequately compensated for protecting lives and property of the citizens

The government of the day has however responded and acceded to the demands as it has promised to meet several of the protesters' demands, as well as banning Sars, and "extensive" reform of Nigeria's police service.

The authorities have also vowed to free all those protesters who have been detained.
And that all Sars officers will undergo a psychological and medical examination before further training and redeployment, and that Sars officers will not be redeployed to the unit set up to replace it, the Special Weapons and Tactics (Swat) team.

The protest that started in the social media by calling out youths and concerned citizens, popular Nigerians, famous musicians and celebrities home and abroad is taking the Nigerian polity to another level as people have been called out to the streets of the Nigerian capital states.

It started with the #endSars and now crippling into different agitation against the wrongs of governance.

We now see #endbadgovernance #endbadroads
#cut down national assembly salary
And many other #tags.
The Nigerian people just want better life and good government.

The agitation is on, the peaceful protest is yielding results. The world is watching too.

We hope for good governance, the    
people are speaking.

This post avoided mentioning of names because of unnecessary hype

[Mpamaegbu]

I like that Ojota pix. It's a favourable spot for anything rally and protest in Lagos. It was the spot that broke GEJ down during that January 1st fuel price increase demonstration. I think that was in 2010 or so. That spot should also bring the Buhari led administration down on its knees. Enough of this insensitivity on the part of the Nigeria government. Anyway, from the look of things this #endSARS protest is now assuming another dimension. It's spiralling out of control at both ends - government and protesters. The protest can degenerate to anything from this point if we followed the alleged prison break in Edo State yesterday. I like the fact that the youth came out on the streets to say "enough is enough" at this point in time.

[Fivestar4everMVP]

I think the protest is really turning to something else, I was supposed to travel to the east today for my sister's traditional and white wedding that Will be holding on next week, but as it is, I can't cus all the major roads are blocked, I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful protest??
I was totally in support of this endsars protest but it has shifted from what it was supposed to be to something else, if it has gotten to the extent of stopping people from going about their businesses, it's no longer peaceful in my honest opinion.

[Gozie51]

It was the spot that broke GEJ down during that January 1st fuel price increase demonstration. I think that was in 2010 or so.

It was in 2012 in January. I remember it was a news that work Nigerians up on the that new year day and GEJ was being criticised for not allowing the festive period to be over, to allow people settle back into their base because that news instantly increased transportation fee to about 100%. The good thing was that GEJ listened and continued with status quo then.

I was totally in support of this endsars protest but it has shifted from what it was supposed to be to something else, if it has gotten to the extent of stopping people from going about their businesses, it's no longer peaceful in my honest opinion.

Nna, you still need to be supporting this struggle. If the protest don't affect economic activities, government won't listen to it. But because it affect the economic inflow where they can get money to steal more then they can start listening. You need to come to reality that it is not all about #endSars but #endbadgovernance. I hope you are living in Nigeria?

The country has really retrogressed in the last 5 years now. It was bad before 5years ago but now worse. How much was bag of rice, cement, fuel, eletricity bill, bread, groundnut, tomatoes to everything you and I can think of plus food stuffs generally when GEJ left and how much are they now brother?

Inflation has taking over the currency and standard of living keeps dropping.

Have you not noticed that the only good roads are the federal roads (just some too because of the policians big cars) The inland roads and connecting roads are dead traps. Nothing is working, let the protest continue until something positive start to happen.

Or how much did you receive from covid-19 palliatives? Maybe you got any, I didn't.
If @CryptopreneurBrainboss  could share palliatives to Nigerians then government should do better to make support, palliatives and benefit of governance go round to crannies and nnoks not to always favour friends and private pockets.

You of course have heard of the news that money for  covid-19 palliatives are being traced to private pocket.

#end bad governance.

It was the height of wickedness for me.

Even with that. And now we are seeing a government that is sensitive to the populace with 100% hike in prices of everything and worst is food stuff.

#And why can't the refineries be put in order. It was part of the agendas of this administration.

[Mpamaegbu]

I think the protest is really turning to something else, I was supposed to travel to the east today for my sister's traditional and white wedding that Will be holding on next week, but as it is, I can't cus all the major roads are blocked, I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful protest??

Flights are doing well. All the airports are open. Sell some Bitcoin man and fund that trip jor 🙄 or are you also scared of heights?

I was totally in support of this endsars protest but it has shifted from what it was supposed to be to something else, if it has gotten to the extent of stopping people from going about their businesses, it's no longer peaceful in my honest opinion.

That's how revolutions start; protests that gradually degenerate into chaos. Before you know what next, the protesters will go bunkers and begin a manhunt for those perceived to have shortchanged them on their collective patrimony.

It was in 2012 in January. I remember it was a news that work Nigerians up on the that new year day and GEJ was being criticised for not allowing the festive period to be over, to allow people settle back into their base because that news instantly increased transportation fee to about 100%. The good thing was that GEJ listened and continued with status quo then.

I was one of those who criticized GEJ for that brash and thoughtless decision he took, knowing very well that Easterners are in love with Xmas and travelled to celebrate it. He shouldn't have taken that decision at the time he did. Whether he rescinded on that or not was immaterial. It was the height of wickedness for me.

[CryptocurencyKing]

It's obvious that this crimes are committed against the people in a democratic government and no significant step is taken to it's effect a change in it's system of governance. The annoyance experienced in this struggle is a so long inhibited rage that only surfaced when the people are fed up and can no longer take it. It is the steps the fathers and mothers of the this day Nigerian youths have failed to take and now, the youths are taking this steps not just to better the life's of Nigerians but, to ensure a future where everything is fair for it's unborn children.
#EndSars #ReformNigeria

[Spendulus]

I will be watching these developments closely and hope they stay peaceful.

[Crptomagma]

Basically I think the Nigeria government just want to frustrate the country with its corrupt leaders. It’s as simple as ABC the people don’t want the activities of SARS among them again because these so called SARS unit has caused more of pain and nuisance  to the people than security for lives and property. Lots of video showing barbaric and unscrupulous acts of SARS men has gone viral and mind you these are the ones that was recorded by someone, imagine the one’s eyes have not seen or ear heard, I mean the ones they did in secret to some innocent citizens of the country. The hashtag #Endsars has been the highlight on social media platforms and the Nigerian youths are beckoning on international bodies to intervene.

Lately we are hearing of the ugly incidents going on in Lekki toll gate Lagos state.the peaceful protest has been going on in various part of the country and just about yesterday being the 20th of October, 2020. the protesters where attracted by the Nigeria soldiers and many where reported to be dead and injured as the Soldiers opened direct fire on the innocent protesters.

News circulating the country is that the Soldiers sent for the killings were sponsored by the illegal Nigeria leaders in other to distract and dismiss the protesters at the Lekki Epe toll gate, Lagos state. The youths are unrest and has vowed to put an end to the bad government in Nigeria. Many Nigeria living abroad have also joined the demonstration and videos of Nigeria living in Canada, London, America has since be on the internet.

[Gozie51]

It’s as simple as ABC the people don’t want the activities of SARS among them again because these so called SARS unit has caused more of pain and nuisance  to the people than security for lives and property.

The protest might have started with the #endSars but it is not just all about it. Certain things need to be corrected and that is why the youths have not gone off the streets despite the usual promise of the government to have heard the request of the protest.

The youths are unrest and has vowed to put an end to the bad government in Nigeria.

This is the reality. The protest is beginning to request for a good Nigeria. Corruption, lies and lack of accountability is the waves that blows in the system. No jobs is an understatement, many things need to be worked on.

The youths are requesting that citizens should be treated with utmost care and not dehumanizing treatment.
I heard in the news now that the Inspector General of Police has ordered the withdrawal of police from people who are not suppose to have police escorts except government houses and National Assembly.

The people who are known as the highs, VIP etc shouldn't be seen with police attached to them whether armed or not. This is just the beginning of going out to ask for sane governance.

[Blackpussy]

I thought this was supposed to be a peaceful protest??

The protest was a peaceful one before the government started hiring Prosars, thugs to disrupt protesters and making it look like was politically sponsored.

Did you watch and see how our politicians sents hoodlums through government owed vehicles to destroy and break shops?

Did you see how the government staged a prison break in Edo state? Without any security personnel on sight?

I believed you also watch how the government dismantled cameras, light and declared war on peaceful protesters holding flag and singing the national anthem at lekki toll gate.

They wanted war double they shall have.

[Gozie51]

I believed you also watch how the government dismantled cameras, light and declared war on peaceful protesters holding flag and singing the national anthem at lekki toll gate.

Indeed it was a bizarre sight to see. The innocent youths of Nigeria just go like that, it is unfortunate. I heard the Nigerian youths are asking that the youths should be immortalized there with the name of lekki toll gate change as #endSars protestants.