One year after the #EndSARS protest that rocked many parts of Nigeria, the nation is still counting its losses even as recent report reveals that over 300 protesters are still languishing in Kirikiri Correctional centre in Lagos prison.
The victims were arrested on October 20, 2020, when soldiers stormed the Lekki toll gate in Lagos and allegedly shot at protesters, who had gathered that Tuesday, following a movement to end the excesses of the now disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), an armed of police formed in 1992 to combat armed robbery and other serious crimes.
Protesters and passerby were reportedly shot and killed by troops deployed by the Nigerian army, who had earlier denied involvement in the shooting, while manyt were arrested at random after the protest for arson, illegal gathering and armed robbery.
According to an activist and a coordinator of Coalition for Revolution in Lagos, Banwo Olagokun, there are 311 protesters who should be released unconditionally.
One of such persons was Nicholas Mba, who was arrested a week after the protest. He explained to The Guardian how he spent eight months in Kirikiri medium prison with 300 others.
He said: “ In that prison, there are over 300 EndSARS protesters there.
“The worst day of my life was my first night in prison, when they told me that I was going to be embalmed. I never understood what they meant because I said why would I be embalmed, am I dead, it was at night I understood.
Similarly, many businesses are yet to be compensated while the insurance industry has not extended its coverage to the impact of disasters from the unrest.The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) said insurance companies had paid over N5.4 billion in claims settlement arising from #EndSARS losses.
The NIA Director-General, Yetunde Ilori, said: “There is a privacy policy regarding insurance. For the #EndSARS period, we have paid over N5.4 billion in settlement of claims. As an umbrella body, we would summarise what we are doing in terms of insurance claims payment later.”
Recent figures show 25 insurance firms have recorded claims totaling N20.4 billion from losses that emanated from the #EndSARS protests, while the companies have set aside a reserve of N13.2 billion to settle the claims.
The NIA DG added: “Out of a total of 1,661 claims that we have received, 143 have been fully settled; a total of N105 million claims had been paid; 539 claimants are yet to substantiate their claims with the necessary documents; seven claims were repudiated because they were not covered by any of the policies; while 972 claims are going to be settled.”
Out of the number of claims received, 667 of the claimants were from Lagos where the impact of the protest seem to be more devastating.
The movement started nationwide on Thursday, October 8, 2020, after weeks of outrage and anger with videos and pictures showing police brutality, harassment and extortion across the country.
According to one of the frontlines of the protest, Rinu Oduala the protest was spurred by the increasing public awareness of the agitation. “It was about survival. It was about my future. It was about fighting off oppression and not becoming a victim. It was important for me to get involved because the injustice that is happening in the country finally required more than hashtags.” She said.
“Being amongst other Nigerians fighting for change made me see that my voice matters and it is meant to be heard. At a young age, I am voicing out for change and breaking out of the norm and more importantly, I am not the only one doing it.
“I am doing it alongside thousands of young people in same situation, people who have been mentally subdued, defeated, and complacent for decades. We all saw as everyone refused leadership and stood up for each other,” She added.
For Civil Society Organisations like Yiaga Africa, the demand for justice for victims of police brutality remains a major part of the demands from the #EndSARS. Thus to ensure this demand is met, the government at both the Federal and State levels must ensure that the decisions of the panels are fully implemented. This according to the CSO, includes ensuring that compensations awarded to victims are fulfilled.
Having given a directive to set up a judicial panel of inquiry to look into alleged Police brutality, the National Economic Council has resolved that payment of compensation to victims should proceed with each state in collaboration with the federal government, establishing the modalities for the settlement of all monetary compensations awarded by the panels.
According to a statement by the media aide of the vice president, Laolu Akande, the council directed states to immediately forward copies of final reports of the panels to their attorneys-general for prompt arraignment and prosecution of all indicted persons.
“Where incidents in the reports relate to matters of discipline, in addition to prosecution, NEC urged the Nigeria Police Force to take disciplinary action on the affected officers in line with the provisions of the Police Act 2020,” the statement said.
However, reports from observers of judicial panels of inquiry revealed that seven states; Kano, Borno, Yobe, Jigawa, Kebbi Sokoto and Zamfara consistently refused to set up panels despite directive.
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According to Yiaga Africa, a CSO who observed the panel sittings, “With 25 states concluding their sitting, it is quite worrying to observe that the Judicial Panels of Inquiry in 4 states – Anambra, Benue, Enugu, Kogi, and the FCT – suspended sitting for unknown reasons”.
Thus, One year after the EndSARS protest, many victims of police brutality still await justice. This is coming with speculations about possibility of another protest to drive home demand for justice.
