During the protests, Twitter was used in at least three ways: to co-ordinate protests, to amplify the voice of the campaign globally, and to berate brands and public figures deemed to be opposed to the movement. The way in which #EndSARS was used provides insight into how Twitter serves as a co-ordinating platform for oppositional discourse and activist campaigns in Nigeria. The protests culminated in the Lekki shootings and Nigerian military officers have been accused of firing at unarmed protesters. The protesters did not back down, however, as they were sceptical of the dissolution given that the SARS unit had been “banned” on four previous occasions. Before long, decentralised and youth-led protests against police brutality spread within and outside Nigeria.įacing the possibility of sustained national protests, the police chief, Mohammed Adamu, announced the dissolution of SARS on 11 October 2020. The most recent round of protests began on 3 October 2020 after a video was shared on Twitter purportedly showing SARS officials killing a man and fleeing with his vehicle in the Delta region, Southern Nigeria. The allegations led to the #EndSARS movement which began on Twitter in 2016 as a protest against police brutality. However, allegations of abuse ranging from extortion, kidnapping, rape and extra-judicial killings by SARS operatives have been documented. Unlike other police officers, SARS operatives were allowed to work in unconventional ways and to be tough in their fight against organised crime. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police Force was created in 1992 to combat violent crimes. Obia, a PhD researcher at Birmingham City University, looks at the role that Twitter has played in the protests, and the implications for social media regulation. Key wins in states like Lagos have made Nigeria's political map appear less set in stone, and more vulnerable to political mobilization of the kind that Obi has inspired, particularly among the young and middle class.In recent weeks Nigeria has been rocked by a wave of demonstrations as young people take to the streets to protest the activities of a police unit known as SARS. He ultimately came third but despite defeat, Obi's 25% share of the vote is the highest third party percentage tally in Nigerian history. The election indicates changes for Nigerian politicsīefore the vote, several opinion polls predicted Obi would win the election. government accused him in a lawsuit of laundering proceeds from heroin trafficking, and he eventually reached a settlement, forfeiting $460,000. He has also fought corruption charges and been accused of involvement in drug-related crimes. He has often been accused of maintaining control of the state's finances which he helped to build. He has long claimed to have made millions while working as an accountant at Deloitte, but the firm says he was never employed. Since he left office, subsequent governors have relied on his blessing and committed to following his blueprint.īut to his detractors, he is blamed for Lagos' many challenges: decrepit infrastructure, a lack of affordable housing and inequality. Tinubu is at once one of the most well-known politicians in the country and also an enigma, dogged by questions about the source of his wealth, his age and his health.Ī former accountant and senator, he's credited by supporters for attracting major investment and turning Lagos into one of the biggest economies in Africa when he was governor of the state from 1999 to 2007. The president-elect saw success in Lagos - and criticism over his continued influence He lost in his home state but won by a clear margin in the rest of the country defeating 76-year-old Atiku Abubakar, a six -time presidential contestant, and 61-year-old Peter Obi, a third -party candidate who galvanized huge support from voters disaffected with the traditional political class. He won just over 36% of the vote in one of the most tightly contested polls since the end of military rule. Tinubu's campaign slogan was "emi lo kan" in his native Yoruba - "It's my turn." And now it is. The wealthy, so-called political godfather is a power broker who helped outgoing president Muhammadu Buhari win the presidency in 2015. Over decades, the former two-term governor of Lagos has evolved into a divisive yet towering figure in Nigerian politics. It comes three days after criticism by observers for widespread logistical failings, violence that suppressed the vote and cries from opposition parties of a sham.įor Tinubu, his victory is the culmination of a deeply held ambition. He has been declared the winner of Nigeria's presidential elections.īola Ahmed Tinubu has been declared as the winner of Nigeria's presidential elections, beating out two other prominent candidates. Bola Tinubu gestures toward the crowd during a campaign rally in Lagos.
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