Pasha 83: Talking #EndSARS and the new proposed unit

Following over two weeks' protest against police brutality in Nigeria, there are reports that a number of protesters have been shot with live ammunition.

Reports suggest that unarmed protesters were shot by military men at the Lekki toll plaza in Lagos on Tuesday, October 20. The shooting was said to have occurred just before a 24 hour curfew imposed by the Lagos State government. The people were protesting against human rights abuses perpetrated by a now disbanded unit in the Nigeria Police Force, the Special Anti-Robbery Squad.

In today's episode of Pasha, Lanre Ikuteyijo, a senior lecturer in the sociology and anthropology department of the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, south west Nigeria, discusses the recently dissolved tactical unit. He also talks about how to make its replacement unit function effectively while checking human rights abuses and corruption in the police force.

Read more: Why disbanding the notorious anti-robbery squad won't stop bad policing in Nigeria

Photo: “Nigerian protesters are seen in the streets of Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos on October 20, 2020 after the authorities declared an open-ended lockdown in Lagos in the face of spiralling protests. Several protesters were killed by Nigerian security forces in Lagos on Tuesday, Amnesty International said, after witnesses reported armed men opened fire on demonstrators.” By Benson Ibeabuchi/AFP, found on Getty Images

Music “Happy African Village” by John Bartmann, found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under CC0 1 .

“African Moon” by by John Bartmann, found on FreeMusicArchive.org licensed under CC0 1.0 Universal License. .

By Ozayr Patel, Digital Editor And

Ogechi Ekeanyanwu, Commissioning Editor: Nigeria