I have been trying to put words together all day trying to express just how much pain I still feel seeing how my brothers and sisters and mothers and fathers were gunned down for the sake of protesting against police brutality.
The Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) was established in 1992 with the sole objective of dealing with crimes associated with Robbery, Theft, kidnapping among others. Over the years it transformed into something else which led to an all-wide protest against the end of this organization.
The peaceful protest was met with violence. The rate at which youths were getting abused was on a rise. You could not even leave your house without the fear of being harassed. It was becoming more dangerous to walk on the street as it was to me on the front line during battle.
It was a crime to live a life of luxury
You can't drive your fancy car or use your nice phones or even dress the way you want. Every single fault was an excuse to suffer some beatings. Grown men were being flogged, young girls were being punished, and the young boys couldn't be sure if they would survive the encounter alive or dead.
You can't have a crypto wallet
This protest fell during the time that cryptocurrency was beginning to gain ground in the country and it improved the standard of living of the average man which means almost everyone had a crypto wallet. If this wallet was found in your phone, you are definitely in big trouble.
Even traveling through public transport wasn't safe. They could stop the bus, ask everyone to step out, and begin to harass the youths. The man with the gun has the power, right?
The Birth of EndSARS
It got so bad that SARS was beginning to take justice into their own hands, killing youths in the name of self-defense, until someone caught a video of them shooting a couple of young adults in a hotel to death. This video went viral and soon the whole nation came out to protest against this brutality
It was the beginning of the EndSARS protest. For the first time in a very long time, the nation had one voice and it was to put an end to this Organisation. Old, Young, Crippled, Sick took to the street for a peaceful protest when the government refused to give in to the request.
You must be wondering, why write about this article today?
20th of October, 2020 marks a red day that will forever be a stain in the history of our Nation. Innocent and Peaceful protesters were slaughtered for the sake of fighting for peace. Today serves as a day of remembrance to the lives that were lost on that day. The affected families are still grieving to this day. Every Nigerian youth still grieves to this day. It could have as well been me who died that day, I tell myself.
Mysteries Surrounding the Murder
They were a lot of mysteries surrounding the brutal murder of innocent civilians that day, who gave the kill order? What happened to the CCTV's? All investigations have proved abortive, did the people in power approve this brutal act against humanity? The thoughts of it alone are enough to make one angry.
Rest in peace, your sacrifice would not be in vain
Though lives were lost, a heavy price was paid just for peace. The SARS was immediately disbanded after the incident as the youths prepared to go to war with the government for retaliation. That act could have resulted in more bloodshed but what less could you expect from the broken-hearted in an unjust country.
Today, Nigerians all come out to remember the lives that were lost. All lives matter. It was a painful experience but it showed how powerful the youths of this country can be when we all stand together. This is my own little contribution to thank the people who gave their lives. Their bravery and Sacrifice will always be remembered. We will never forget you.
SARS are still roaming around in my state, they weren't disband totally.