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3        Africa telegraph         25 October - 09 November 2020

                                                                                                                             hari in a recent statement said that  69
                                                                                                                             people have been killed in the protests
                                                                                                                             against police brutality that have rocked
                                                                                                                             the country. The deceased were mainly
                                                                                                                             civilians  but  include  police  officers  and
                                                                                                                             soldiers.

                                                                                                                             The #ENDSARS  campaign  against
                                                                                                                             police  brutality  has  drawn  high-profile
                                                                                                                             support around the world, from Rapper,
                                                                                                                             Kanye West; Singer, Beyoncé; Preacher,
                                                                                                                             T.D Jakes; Movie  Director,  Tyler Perry;
                                                                                                                             to Manchester  United  forward, Marcus
                                                                                                                             Rashford; Boxer, Anthony Joshua; Man-
                                                                                                                             chester United  Striker,  Odion  Ighalo;
                                                                                                                             and Hollywood actor, John Boyega.  This
                                                                                                                             is a stark contrast to the muted response
                                                                                                                             from leaders in the region. The South Af-
                                                                                                                             rican  president,  Cyril  Ramaphosa,  who
                                                                                                                             is the chairman of the African Union, and
                                                                                                                             Ghana’s  president, Nana  Akufo-Addo,
                                                                                                                             chairman of the West  African ECOW-
                                                                                                                             AS bloc, spoke out strongly on George
                                                                                                                             Floyd’s  death. However,  they appear
                                                                                                                             less keen to address police  brutality in
                                                                                                                             their neighbouring country. But, Nigerian
                                                                                                                             youths have good reason to protest.











                Protesters ignored a curfew imposed by Imo State governor and continued protests across the state.

                 Babagana  Monguno  (rtd.); Chief   the soaring unemployment, worsened by
                 of  Defence  Staff,  General  Gabri-  the pandemic, has fuelled  more anger
                 el Olanisakin;  Inspector-General   and increased anti-government protest.
                 of Police, Mohammed  Adamu;
                 Director-General,  Department of   The protest induced  by police  brutality
            State Services, Yusuf Bichi; and Direc-  has now evolved  into much more than
            tor-General, National Intelligence Agen-  #ENDSARS.   Activists  are now seek-
            cy, Ahmed Rufai, among others.        ing justice for the bereaved  families,
                                                  the  right  training  of  police  officers  and
            Government of the people  for the     an independent body to investigate the
            people                                unlawful killing by SARS, an end to bad
                                                  governance and corruption.  Campaign-
            Protestors have grown up expecting the   ers also  want adequate  pay for police
            state to do little. Democracy in this part   officers, and many more reforms.
            of the world is not a government of the
            people by the people for the people. It   Some states have now created investi-
            is more like a government of the people   gative  panels,  but  the  offending  police
            against the people for politicians’ person-  officers have yet to be arrested. Worse
            al and selfish gains. Some now call for   still, the number of deaths in police cus-
            President Buhari  to  quit. More broadly,   tody and on the streets have continued
            people link the state’s poor response to   to rise.
            the youth’s campaign as a sign that the
            government  does not care. In addition,   Nigerian  President  Muhammadu  Bu-  Hoodlums attacked Nnewi Police Station, in Anambra State, set it ablaze,
                                                                                           vandalised patrol vehicles, captured and killed a police officer.































           President Buhari met online with some former heads of state to discuss     Former President Goodluck Jonathan (far left, in black hat) said, the gov-
                                  how to resolve the crisis.                          ernment failed to have a dialogue with the protesters before using force.
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