#EndSARS has been a trend for close to a decade. Police brutality has been a ‘normal’ event in Nigeria but was brought to the fore with the advent of social media, and users finding out what good can be done with the various social media platforms.

Every other week, we read stories of one or two persons ‘kidnapped’ by men of the Police force and forced to empty their pockets. Sometimes, we do not see these people anymore, at other times, these victims come out with bad stories to tell of the Nigeria Police Force. We cannot even determine how many who do not use social media, but are picked up for no reason and made to pay for ‘bail’ through their throats.

You read and see all these things and wonder what kind of training these men take. ‘What do they tell these men when they are given guns?’ To kill or to protect. If you picked the former, stories won’t judge.

We cannot look over the efforts of a few men of the Police force who do their jobs like they should be doing. Yet, we cannot pretend not to see that the Police force needs urgent reforms. I mean…Nigerians fear the Police more than criminals and respect for ‘men in Black’ has literally faded.

What’s up today?

A story is told of a young promising Nigerian who was kidnapped in school by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS). He got out of it but the scars remained and this affected him greatly. He had reached out on social media, asking for justice but got nothing and it broke him. He committed suicide.

And then…

I guess its goodbye now…no one heard my cry for justice and this had to happen haha…bye world.

— Johnson (@Akinadeoluwa17) April 21, 2020

It’s been too long since Nigerians have cried out that the Police is killing more innocent citizens than criminal. These cries are loud because social media spreads information as far as possible, but we do not know how many have ‘disappeared’ from the streets courtesy of Police brutality.

We had thought that when the Vice President(then Acting President), Yemi Osinbajo ordered the reform of the Nigerian Police Force, we will be free of avoidable killings but what do we have? A police force that hardly differentiates criminal from tax-paying innocent Nigerian – a group of men who become hyperactive when they spot a young man trying to eke out a living for himself.

How long shall we continue to endure in this unconscionable evil of the bad eggs in our police service? Are we hopeless in this situation? Is this now a case of “who is next?”

It’s high time we employ @PoliceNG to pls practically educate his men “Forex Traders are not yahoo yahoo”

How many more innocent citizens is going to die from repeatedly untrained and ignorance culture of our SARS ?

#JusticeForSeyiAkinade pic.twitter.com/JBLPEPciYB

— Daily Offender? (@gudlookinbadboy) April 22, 2020

More than I would like to say #justiceforSeyiAkinade, more than I would like to offer my sincerest, most heartfelt apologies to the family of this young man, I would also like to say a big SHAME ON ALL OF YOU: @MBuhari @ProfOsinbajo @PoliceNG @NGRPresident @nassnigeria @SPNigeria https://t.co/D3RMWXoXYZ

— Afere Atikke ? (@INYXENE) April 22, 2020

How do you explain this? You don't give youths jobs, they make themselves useful, you exploit & kill them like common thieves.

Are you aware of globalisation?

Ordinary power supply defeats your intelligence, years of experience & wisdom.

It's well. ?#JusticeForSeyiAkinade pic.twitter.com/ZoqGNLkj4M

— Virgil Enesha (@djprovoe) April 22, 2020

I see a revolution coming,
They will run Buh they can’t hide

I see the people rising against intimidation, police harassment and political lies
I see the people rising above region, religion and ethnicity

I see the people coming with justice
#JusticeForSeyiAkinade pic.twitter.com/q94UfPTD6m

— Chioma™? (@Iam_ChiomaEzeh) April 22, 2020

Seyi died for simply being Nigerian, it wasn't his fault that he was born in a lawless country where those who are meant to uphold law are the ones who unremorsefully break it, how many more victims are struggling with PTSD, we are sorry Seyi.
RIP ??
#justiceForSeyiAkinade https://t.co/huEtppd9he

— Oluwatomisin❣ (@tomifab_) April 22, 2020

I think of the many people who we thought were fine but ended up taking their lives because of depression.

Look out for your neighbor!

Who is your neighbor? The one you come in contact with

#justiceForSeyiAkinade

— Aya Likita (@ayabachi) April 22, 2020

Seyi died simply for being a Nigerian and a student. It's not his fault that he was born in a country where those who are meant to uphold the law are the ones who break it. A lot of SARS victims are struggling with PTSD after being wrongfully accused.
RIP#justiceForSeyiAkinade https://t.co/HpbVIKQzLb

— ✨QUEEN BUSAYO ? (@Buttergirlll) April 22, 2020