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#EndSarsAndPoliceBrutality- 5 Times Civilians Suffered Unwarranted Assaults From SARS And Police Officers In 2019
In recent times, several Nigerians have come out to protest police brutality in the country. Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) officers have been accused of targetting the bulk of Nigerian youths and roping them with crimes they are oblivious of. Most people gave the reasons of needing to receive illegal money from their victims or just […]
In recent times, several Nigerians have come out to protest police brutality in the country. Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) officers have been accused of targetting the bulk of Nigerian youths and roping them with crimes they are oblivious of. Most people gave the reasons of needing to receive illegal money from their victims or just simply showing who is in control as these officers justification for harassing unsuspecting citizens. This year 2019, particularly from the month of March, a lot of Nigerians are coming out to share their police brutality. 
Perhaps their story may not have gained the momentum it has now if the now viral case of Kolade, a football fan who was shot dead by some SARS officers did not surface online. Kolade’s case angered many, yet nothing has still not been done about it. Recently, the people of Lagos saw the death of another “Kolade” whose name was Adetutu, she was gunned down by these same operatives and we begin to wonder where is the sanity? Where is the protection and freedom that the law affords us? Where is the safety? Does this mean being a youth in the country equals to being an unfortunate victim of police murder? 
According to the “justification” given by the Head of Public Complaints Rapid Response Unit, ACP Yemi Shogunle, some of these victims are being targetted because of the so-called police profiling. The Nigerian officers look for people who are dressed in a “certain” way, who have certain hairstyles, who wear certain clothes and rock certain shoes and then categorise them under people who should be the next victims of their certain brutality. And we ask, when will this stop! In a country of about 180 million people with about 371, 800 police officers, imagine the people’s shock when their legal securities that are not enough to protect their lives end up being the ones to gut them down. Find below ten people who have come out to claim victims of police brutality in the year 2019.
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- Kolade Johnson: It is only right that we start with the young man whose death kickstarted a strong social media revolution and campaign about police brutality in the country. Kolade Johnson’s case is still on-going though the police officer who shot him claimed he died from a stray bullet. His father, however, debunked what the police officer said, revealing that stray bullets do not work that way and he would not rest till justice is served his son. Kolade was shot at a football viewing centre in an attempt by some police officers to arrest some cultists in the area.
- Ada Ifeanyi: This is a more recent case of police brutality that occurred in Ajegunle, Lagos. Ada and her boyfriend Emmanuel were coming back from a Night club when police officers accosted them. Fearing however that the officers may be armed robbers in disguise as they were not on a uniform, Emmanuel sped off leaving the officers behind. The police officers however where hot on their pursue as they followed them straight to Ada’s house where they opened fire on the duo. The officers who shot and killed Ada have been arrested with one currently on the run.
- Unidentified man dragged and killed by the police: A video of unidentified men surfaced the internet sometime in January 2019 where police officers were dragging them in an attempt to get them into a van. While he was being arrested, one of the men resisted the arrest and was shot severally by the officers. Watch the video below…
This happened today in my street #SARS are killing Nigeria youths on a daily basis, still the idiots in government keep crime’🤷♂️ like what
the fuck 🤦♂️ Maybe the Nigerian masses need to get their own guns since the govt is deaf enough not to ‘ ‘. #EndSARS #Endsars pic.twitter.com/iKdStusO2q— Mcjoh🇳🇬🇬🇭 (@jonado_emmanuel) 12 April 2019
- Unidentified Nigerian was also allegedly attacked for using an iPhone: A video of a police officer seizing and harassing a Nigerian man for refusing to unlock his iPhone also circulated the net this year. The police officers were seen in the video constantly hitting the man with a baton after shouting that he should visit their station if he needs his phone back.
He apparently refused to unlock his phone for SARS and was repeated planked, his iPhone seized and told to come to FCIID alagbon to get his phone. #EndSARS #ReformPoliceNG @segalink @PrincessPako @Tutsy22 @julietkego @PoliceNG_CRU pic.twitter.com/Mqt6hdkR7w
— fabmumof4. A.K.M.B (@fabmumof4) 12 April 2019
- Nigerian Police brutally assaults a pregnant woman and framed her: Another case of Police brutality is the viral story of a pregnant woman who was allegedly harassed by a female police officer, Omolara Sunday. The pregnant woman Cecelia was harassed in the car of filmmaker Lanre Adediwura, where the officer ripped her shirt and together with her fellow police officers accused the filmmakers and the pregnant woman of assaulting her. The officer dragged them to Ejigbo Magistrate court, where the judge presiding over the case ordered their temporary lockup. Impatient Omolara was said to have taken them out of the prison and had them locked up in a maximum Kirirkiri cell. The case is still on-going.
- Kolade Johnson: It is only right that we start with the young man whose death kickstarted a strong social media revolution and campaign about police brutality in the country. Kolade Johnson’s case is still on-going though the police officer who shot him claimed he died from a stray bullet. His father, however, debunked what the police officer said, revealing that stray bullets do not work that way and he would not rest till justice is served his son. Kolade was shot at a football viewing centre in an attempt by some police officers to arrest some cultists in the area.
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