Popcaan, Drake, Kranium, Stefflon Don & More Calls For Nigeria To End SARS
More celebrities like Popcaan, Drake, Kranium, Stefflon Don, and Lil Baby are calling on Nigeria to end SARS.
Celebrities in music are lending their voices to a crucial human rights issue in Nigeria. The ongoing call to put an end to SARS is a social media campaign that was launched in 2022 with Segun Awosanya 1 of the firsts to use the #ENDSARS hashtag to champion for the disbandment of a Nigeria Police force Forcefulness special Criminal Investigation and Intelligence department called Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
The police team has earned a despicable reputation since its inception in 1992. While SARS was designed to be an hugger-mugger force tasked with investigating crimes of a certain nature like armed robberies, vehicle theft, kidnapping, and crimes associated with firearms, the unit has been defendant of murder, theft, rape, extortion, unlawful arrests and detentions, constabulary brutality, and other heinous crimes during their almost three decades of operation.
SARS has allegedly become notorious for extorting young Nigerians who are targeted for gadgets similar their iPhones and other luxuries like high-finish vehicles. In add-on to profiling, the special police force strength is defendant of engaging in kidnappings, extrajudicial killings, mounting illegal roadblocks, stop and search, and torture. Immunity International reported that SARS has a history of abusing human rights with the vile mistreatment of their countrymen while in custody, which entails shooting detainees in the leg; cruelty including threats of execution, astringent beatings, and hanging. This twelvemonth, the publication reported that they have recorded more than 80 cases of extrajudicial killings and abuse by SARS between Jan 2022 and May 2020.
The phone call to end police brutality in Nigeria has extended itself to local, international, and online protests. When a video went viral on social media on Saturday, October 3, which documented a SARS operative in Delta Country shooting a immature man later allegedly seizing his Lexus SUV, it reignited the passionate call to end police force oppression in Nigeria. More videos showcasing the immoral practices of the notorious police force soon surfaced online and served as testify of harassment, extortion, and brutality.
While some influencers like Afro-trounce behemothic Burna Boy have been a part of the campaign for a number of years, its contempo resurgence exacerbated by the growing #ENDSARS trending hashtag, which amassed over 28 million tweets in a single weekend, has popularized the motility in a gimmicky manner that raises awareness worldwide. Citizens residing in Nigeria and the diaspora have been protesting for an end to SARS for years, but the conversation made headlines this month after the loftier profile celebrity juggernaut began to weigh in.
With artists similar Popcaan, Drake, Cardi B, Kanye W, Kranium, Gamble The Rapper, Diddy, and more speaking out against the long-hauled human rights issue, we could only promise that the Nigerian government would be compelled to address the event head-on. On Friday, Chance shared a message to Twitter requesting more details on the SARS saga as he said he was just becoming informed on the issue. "#ENDSARSNOW I only started reading up on this travesty taking identify in Nigeria. If yous have more info to manipulate in the replies I'grand all ears," he wrote. Drake also directed his fans to educate themselves on the of import human rights issue and Stefflon Don shared a message about the cause on Instagram with the caption, "If this is Nigeria's problem then it is ours too. I would similar to know what the authorities is doing almost this??? #ENDSARS'"
Cardi B hardly addressed the issue on Twitter before her account was suspiciously deactivated. When a Nigerian fan introduced the campaign to the rapper on Thursday, October 8, she replied asking, "What'due south going? Can you give me a summary and then I can research subsequently ….you know I beloved Nigeria." Shortly after, Cardi's Twitter page became unavailable, and she took to her Instagram story to tell fans, "Imma get back active on ten/11." Nigerian fans quickly started to speculate that it was all a conspiracy, with one Twitter user maxim the Nigerian president "offed" Cardi's account when the mention of the country'due south inhumane operations was detected.
On Dominicus, Oct 11, Nigeria's Inspector General of Police appear the dissolution of the unit – a decision that some saw as great progress in the public outcry for constabulary reform. United Kingdom-based Nigerian artist WizKid previously called out the Nigerian president for not addressing the police force brutality upshot that has only grown worse over the recent years. He led a contempo protest in London, calling for an end to the Special Anti-Robbery Squad besides. WizKid addressed the protesters afterward news surfaced that SARS had been dissolved. He besides reacted to the news on Twitter writing, "Now my people.. y'all see what our voices did…this is the get-go of a new Nigeria!"
However, many people could not help simply feel like they'd been duped. The Nigerian government has reportedly gone on tape to claim they have banned SARS at least 4 times now, and protesters are concerned that they but intend to reassign the officers rather than disband the section completely. Burna Male child was amongst the slew of celebrities who used their platform to address the homo rights issue plaguing Nigeria. The statement he shared read in part: "My greatest business in all of this is that SARS will end now as it allegedly has several times in the by and morph into a dissimilar entity downwardly the lines with a different form or a dissimilar name."
The statement continues, "In my opinion, abolishing the unit of measurement is a definite first step just nosotros cannot afford to stop at that place. The major issue is PROFILING. THIS MUST Exist ADDRESSED Past BOTH THE AUTHORITIES AND THE Denizens. Information technology SHOULD NOT BE A CRIME TO BE A Immature PERSON IN YOUR OWN Country. The old adage that you cannot judge a book by its embrace is a wise one." Burna Boy also announced the institution of a fund to help protesters who are arrested or harmed likewise as the development of a platform to educate people on factual historical information and to support creatives and the tech community.
Protesters demanded five items from the Federal Authorities of Nigeria on Sunday, October 11. Amongst the list of demands, they asked for the immediate release of all protesters who had been arrested, compensation and justice for those who died at the easily of police brutality, the establishment of an independent body to investigate reports of police misconduct and prosecute offenders, adequate compensation for Nigerian police, and not least of them all, for the psychological evaluation and retraining of SARS officers prior to whatsoever reassignment to other police units.
Peaceful protests have been taking place in Nigerian cities and states like Ibadan, Lagos, Benin, Delta, Ilorin, Ogbomosho, Abuja, Owerri, Osun, Oyo, and more. The Nigeria Police force Force disrupted the protests on several occasions, and during the flavour, they arrested, injured, and took the lives of many protesters. They reportedly opened fire and threw tear gas at peaceful protesters to disperse them. While the ongoing crisis is nonetheless a pressing matter, it is important to note that the Nigerian Government finally agreed to the five demands of the Stop SARS protestors on Tuesday, October 13, 2020. Members of the authorities body accept condemned and chosen for an finish to constabulary brutality, the molestation of youths, and other foul abuses of say-so.
Amid the Function of the Inspector General, the National Human being Rights Commission, and other stakeholders convening to deliberate, a printing release signed past the Presidential spokesperson announced that the authorities would give in to the demands of protesters. That aforementioned solar day, the Governor of the Nigerian Land of Lagos vowed to institute a two hundred meg naira fund for victims of police brutality residing in the land. The PR Officer for the Nigeria Police force Strength also announced the development of a new force called Special Weapon and Tactics Team (SWAT) created to replace SARS. The prospective operatives will reportedly undergo a medical and psychological evaluation during their screening.
Cheers to the widespread and global impact of social media, the End SARS campaign has received more attention than it ever has. At present it's time to ensure the work continues and the reform is honored.
Source: https://urbanislandz.com/2020/10/15/popcaan-drake-kranium-stefflon-don-more-calls-for-nigeria-to-end-sars/
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