What started as a simple hashtag on Twitter has now evolved into a global movement calling for an end to oppression and a demand for good governance for the Nigerian youth. The attention the #EndSARS movement is getting shows the youth now have global support to effect change in the polity despite stiff opposition.

The latest member of the international community to endorse the #EndSARS movement is the CEO of Twitter, Jack Dorsey, who took to his Twitter handle Wednesday, to call for Bitcoin donations to help #EndSARS, earning himself profound admiration from many Nigerians for showing understanding to the plight of the youth.

Donate via #Bitcoin to help #EndSARS ?? https://t.co/kf305SFXze

— jack (@jack) October 14, 2020

Reactions:

Jack you are doing the right thing. After 2016 we can’t let these bold face lies and misinformation take hold again. Prove it’s true then we can talk. pic.twitter.com/u0H1gTKeFh

— Matthew Paul Frasca (@MFrasca79) October 14, 2020

Sir, if you were a Nigerian, those notorious SARS would have termed you a criminal for mentioning bitcoin. That's bereaved they're, intellectually.

— ᴋᴏɴʀᴀᴅᴇ (@Komrade_Konrade) October 14, 2020

Jack you deserve a Grammy award for what you just did now. Garcia ✊✊?

— Tosin????‍♂️#EndSars (@Ohloowatoscene) October 14, 2020

 

Meanwhile, Nigerians are infuriated over the continuous show of insensitivity on the part of the political class to the legitimate concerns of the youth, especially after Adamu Garba, a former Senator of Yobe South District, took to his twitter page to warn Twitter’s CEO to stay away from Nigerian politics while threatening him with a lawsuit for lending his voice to the #EndSARS protest. 

Dear @jack,

It’ll do you a lot more good if you stay away from Nigerian Politics. You should know that the so-called #EndSARS protest have transformed into political agitation, capable of breaking law & order in our country. You should not be a moral & financial sponsor to this. https://t.co/slhwmOnCMY

— Adamu Garba II (@adamugarba) October 14, 2020

I can see you are even sharing a link for people to donate money for this protest, an event capable of escalation beyond our already overstretched security management.

If this protest continued to evolved into disorder (hopefully not). As a Nigerian citizen, we’ll meet in court

— Adamu Garba II (@adamugarba) October 14, 2020

Reactions:

The same court you are yet to drag state governors who watch citizens die in the hands of "gun men" in their homes at night… pic.twitter.com/mIWb4qqt2J

— Uyi Ebohon?✂? (@UyiApparel) October 15, 2020

Your dishonesty is vivid and that's how the Government has been. They claim to have ended SARS but SARS still operates, I saw them at Orazi Port Harcourt last night.This is just the intro, the government ain't seen nothing yet.#EndPoliceBrutalityinNigeria #EndSWAT #EndSARS pic.twitter.com/d7gUsw1nEC

— Edwin davidson (@CodesQuex) October 15, 2020

You came on his platform to threaten to sue him. Na wa ooooo. U people sef. You must think everything is jaga jaga in their country like yours. We’d like to see you take jack to court. Elenu shipoti

— YOUR FAVORITE AUNTY (@missdzeneaphar) October 14, 2020

Excellent, @adamugarba. Please advise us as to where we might file the suits for the disorder, disruption, violence and murders of Isiaq Jimoh and all the others who have died at the hands of SARS. pic.twitter.com/5qLhQusV6D

— Rachel Onamusi (@rachelonamusi) October 15, 2020

The double standard of our leaders is seen every day from the way they address the issues that concern the youth. Their attitude towards those supporting an end to the oppression of the youth through the #EndSARS protest contradicts their claims of ending the problems despite the supposed disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) and its replacement with the Special Weapons And Tactics (SWAT) which appears to be mere rebranding.

A critical examination of the situation readily shows why Nigerians are not ready to back down from the #EndSARS protest any time soon – at least not until our political leaders proffer concrete solutions to the problems that have made the youth an endangered species in their own country under a government that swore to protect the lives of the citizens. If the international community recognises the need to attend to the plight of the youth, our political representatives ought to know better and do better.

Jack Dorsey’s endorsement of the #EndSARS protest is a welcome development. It is hoped that the #EndSARS movement will yield the desired change as it gains more support globally.