Nigeria Police
By Bernard Joseph
The #EndSARS movement, as it quickly came to be known in October 2020, garnered global attention and support as the world watched in horror at the reports of police brutality in Nigeria. Despite the promise of reform, the issue has continued to haunt the country like a ghost from the past. Many Nigerians are skeptical of the government’s true intentions and have accused the police of advancing down the same destructive path as SARS. The issue ignited outrage and protests throughout the nation, with calls for justice ringing out like a battle cry.
The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a cancerous blight upon the Nigerian people. Its reputation for nefarious deeds such as extrajudicial killings, extortion, and kidnapping spread fear and desperation throughout the nation. When the #EndSARS protests erupted, calling for the unit’s abolition, it was as if a dam had burst, the pent-up anger and frustration of the people spilling forth in a deluge. Tragically, this outpouring of emotion was met with a hail of bullets on October 20, 2020, as soldiers opened fire on unarmed protesters at the Lekki tollgates. The massacre of these young people, who had gathered to make their voices heard, was a devastating blow, a black mark on the country’s history that will not soon be forgotten.
Despite the efforts of the youth and the loss of precious lives in the process, this issue persists, a festering wound on the nation’s already troubled landscape. The government has vowed to hold officers accountable for their actions, but for many, the damage has already been done, the wounds of police brutality a permanent scar on the country’s landscape. Mending the broken trust between the people and their security forces will be a herculean task, one that may require more than just a change in units.
A panel of inquiry launched by the Lagos state government released a report implicating the Nigerian military in the violent crackdown on #EndSARS protesters. However, the authorities have rejected these findings and refused to accept any responsibility for the actions of the military. The report, which was leaked to the public, has caused outrage and calls for accountability, with many Nigerians demanding justice for the victims of the violence
Two years down the line, brutality by security agencies has continued.
On October 11, 2020, the Nigerian government declared that the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) would be no more. However, it seems that the move was nothing more than a facade, a mere Band-Aid on a deep and festering wound. Reports continue to surface of SARS officers, now operating undercover as plainclothes policemen, preying on the citizens of the country, extorting, arresting, torturing, and killing with impunity. The government’s announcement was a mere mirage, a false hope for change in a nation plagued by corruption and abuse of power.
On a joyous day meant for celebration, a shadow was cast over the nation as the tragic news of Ms. Raheem’s death spread. A shining star in the world of real estate, this accomplished lawyer, realtor, consultant, business coach, and developer was brutally taken from us on Christmas morning. As she made her way home from church, the CEO of Croston Homes and Co-founder of City Building was felled by a hail of bullets, her bright future and all the promise it held snuffed out in a moment of unimaginable violence. The loss of Raheem is a wound that will never fully heal, her absence a constant ache in the hearts of those who knew and loved her.
The slain lawyer, Bolanle Raheem
As the sun rose on Christmas day, Bolanle Raheem navigated her car through the streets of Ajah. Accompanied by her sister and four children, they had just left a deli where Ms. Raheem had made some last-minute purchases for her loved ones. Suddenly, they were halted by the flashing lights of a police checkpoint, and the officers on duty signaled for them to pull over.
As Ms. Raheem brought her car to a halt at the police checkpoint, complying with the officers’ command, disaster struck without warning. One of the officers aimed their gun at the vehicle and pulled the trigger, and the bullet found its mark in Ms. Raheem’s body. She was pregnant at the time and was rushed to a nearby hospital in a desperate bid to save her life. Despite their efforts, however, the grim reaper came knocking, and Ms. Raheem was forced to answer the call.
Predictable outrage has ensued in the wake of this tragic incident. The long list of those who have condemned Ms. Raheem’s unprovoked killing includes President Muhammadu Buhari, the Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu; Inspector General of Police Usman Baba, National Publicity Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), AkoredeLawal; presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar; Omoyele Sowore, presidential standard bearer of the African Action Congress (AAC); All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate Bola Tinubu; and Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Police Superintendent Benjamin Hundeyin, who has also promised that “the Nigeria Police Force will carry out a reappraisal of its rules of engagement in a bid to put an end to such avoidable ugly incidents.”
The news of the tragic incident has sent shockwaves through Nigerian social media, with many expressing their disbelief and outrage at the “heartbreaking,” “unacceptable,” “senseless,” and “unwarranted” act. The killing has brought back memories of the protests that erupted in October 2020, when the people of Nigeria rose up against the constant abuse they faced at the hands of a unit of the police force. Some say that the shooting of Ms. Raheem is a testament to the fact that, unfortunately, little has changed in terms of the way policing is carried out in the country.
Bernard Joseph writes for Eko Hot Blog. This media platform reserves all rights to this article.
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