Issue and opponent: Amnesty International released data that SARS was responsible for 82 cases of torture and extrajudicial killings. The Nigerian police unit SARS has been the source of numerous human rights violations for years but little has been done to restrain or hold the force accountable. Nigerian youth have been subject to police brutality and even extrajudicial killings at the hands of these officers. The latest murder of a young man in Ugheli, Delate State sparked years of outrage and frustration. This caught the attention of international media and the protests broke out as a result. SARS stands for Special Anti-Robbery Squad which is a special unit of the Nigerian police. Following this report, there were international calls for the end of the SARS police unit. This called attention internationally to the police unit’s violations of human rights
Dilemma Action: Protesters created the campaign called the End of SARS in Nigeria. Through social media and international media coverage large quantities of photos of protesters and celebrities sleeping on the sidewalks spread around the world. The Nigerian government faced with bad press was given two options dissolve the SARS unit and end further investigations or allow the SARS police unit to continue and add fuel to the fire of inaction by the government.
Outcome: Three days after the initial protest, on October 11, 2020, the Nigerian government announced by Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, disbanded the SARS police unit. After the announcement, the Nigerian Senate mandated its committee to investigate all allegations of violence. However, the police squad was reformed. The police reassigned the same officers that were previously operating as SARS to different departments within the forces. A new unit called Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) was formed and now carries out the same duties as SARS. Following the coverage by international media, protests to end SARS spread all around the world from Toronto, New York, South Africa, London, Berlin, and Geneva. Popular celebrities including Afro-Fusion singer Omah Lay, pop singers Rihanna and Beyonce joined in the protest’s movement. Before the protests around the world, photos spread on social media of activists, a majority of them were students, sleeping in front of the Lagos House of Assembly with signs advocating for the end of SARS.