The worst moment of my life: How sportspersons raised their voices against police brutality in Nigeria amid #EndSARS protests
By Merit Jay 
Victor Osimhen Supporting the Protests After Scoring Against Atalanta
......"My son was killed with [his] glory."
Those were the words of a heartbroken mother, to whom the death of her son dealt a devastating blow.
Tiyamiyu Kazeem, fondly referred to as “Kaka”, was Europe bound, with an imminent trial in Sweden on the cards for the promising 25-year-old defender and vice-captain of Remo Stars Football Club of Ogun State, Nigeria. But that dream never took off.
According
to an eyewitness report, on Saturday, February 22, 2020, Kazeem, was said to be
in his father's SUV, on his way home from his manager's residence when officers
of Nigeria's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) arrested him on suspicion of
being a "Yahoo Boy" (internet fraudster) despite identifying himself
as a football player with Remo Stars FC by presenting his ID card. Questions
arose when the player sensed something suspicious. Instead of heading to the
nearest police station in Sagamu, Ogun State, they were rather headed for the
Sagamu-Abeokuta Expressway. According to the eyewitness, disagreements ensued
and "Kaka" was pushed out of the police vehicle by one of the police
officers and was unfortunately hit by an oncoming vehicle. He died on the spot.
An irreparable loss to family, club, community, nation, football and sports at
large.
But Kazeem
is just one of many Nigerians that have been subject to endless degrees of
police brutality, harassment, assault, extortion, torture, and even
extrajudicial murder.
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| Tiyamiyu Kazeem |
POLICE BRUTALITY IN NIGERIA
The Special
Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was a unit of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), which,
for many years, were widely accused of and criticized for extreme levels of
torture, illegal arrests, assaults, extortion, gross human rights violations,
and extrajudicial murder.
As in the
case of Kazeem, most cases of police brutality in Nigeria begin with profiling.
From physical appearances, to possession of smart devices and cars, young
Nigerians (including stakeholders in the sports industry) are constantly at
risk of being victims.
"He
was about going back to his duty post but he then saw my iPhone which was
switched off. He came back to pick it [up] and said 'I have searched and
confirmed that you are a footballer but I am suspecting something; that you are
a G-guy, a Yahoo boy (internet fraudster)',” Stephen Chukwude, who had just won
the 2018/2019 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) title with Enyimba FC
in July 2019, recounts his experience with officers of the Nigeria police on
his way to Enugu State for medical treatment, in an interview with
aclsports.com, published on August 27, 2019.
In his
story he tells how terrified he felt, when he was taken to an unknown location
where he saw other victims, and was asked to pay a sum for his release. After
much disagreement, he was let go after handing the policemen a thousand naira
note, about €2 (minutes earlier, one other victim agreed to pay as much as one
hundred and fifty thousand naira, about €332).
A week
later, on his way back to the Enyimba FC camp in Aba, Abia State, Chukwude was
once again met with similar fate, albeit, this time in more humiliating
fashion.
"We
were stopped by the police, they laid us down on the tarred road, under the
scorching sun, and then they [the police] began whipping us. The policemen
accused us of having a hand in the murder of their colleague."
Apparently,
some days before this incident, while Chukwude was receiving treatment in Enugu
State, a member of the Nigeria police force was allegedly killed in Aba, Abia
State. All attempts by Chukwude and his friend to explain their innocence,
ignorance, and to prove their identity, ended in futility.
"We
tried to explain to the policemen, that we were just returning from Enugu,
hence we had no hand in the murder of their colleague. I showed them my ID card
to prove that I was a football player with Enyimba FC, but they said [that]
they didn't care. Then they set out to shave off my friend's hair, just because
it was braided. [For minutes] we pleaded with them not to shave his hair, while
maintaining our innocence. Then they demanded that we pay a sum of ten thousand
naira (about €22)."
The
incident described above, is a common example of the extortion suffered by many
Nigerians, especially sportspersons (because of their appearance), who embark
on interstate travels within Nigeria. Basically, [almost] everyone who is
halted by the police at their numerous interstate checkpoints.
"I
explained to them that I was just returning from physiotherapy treatment and as
a result, I had no such money with me. They police officers insisted that we
weren't ready to leave. After much talk, we agreed to pay a sum of five
thousand naira (about €11). Then they let us leave."
"To
date, it remains the worst moment of my life."
"After
both incidents, I stopped driving and I also stopped travelling interstate, due
to fears of falling victim to police injustices again."
Despite his ordeals, Chukwude is one of few young Nigerians who are fortunate enough to [twice] escape an encounter with the Nigeria police, only being harassed, intimidated, assaulted and extorted financially.
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| Protesters at Lekki Toll Gate |
On October
3, 2020, a young Nigerian man Joshua Ambrose was allegedly thrown out of a
moving vehicle by members of the SARS unit in Ughelli, Delta State, Nigeria.
Days later,
protests broke nationwide. Starting at various locations in Lagos, Abuja, and
Delta States, many young Nigerians including popular celebrities and
sportspersons, lent their voices by joining various protests in major cities
across the country.
A demonstration
that started off locally as an expression of outrage against police brutality
and a demand for the safety of lives and better policing, quickly gathered
international attention. Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey, Hollywood celebrities; Ice
Cube, Diddy, John Boyega, Kanye West, Chance The Rapper, Rihanna, Trey Songz,
Kirk Franklin, Travis Greene, sports personalities; Mesüt Özil, Victor Osimhen,
John Ogu, Simy Nwankwo, Ahmed Musa, Rio Ferdinand, Asisat Oshoala, Blessing
Okagbare, Alex Iwobi, Anthony Joshua, Tammy Abraham and Marcus Rashford (MBE)
amongst others, all showed support for the #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality
protests in Nigeria.
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| Nigerian Footballers Supporting The Protests |
Nigerians
abroad weren't left out either, having held various protests in London, Paris,
Egypt, USA, Canada, Germany and many other locations worldwide.
"Even
before I left the shores of Nigeria, I witnessed firsthand, [the] maltreatment
of a friend at the hands of the Nigeria Police." - recalls Ojora Babatunde
who is a UEFA accredited sports journalist, and part of the #EndSARS
#EndPoliceBrutality protests in Paris.
According
to Babatunde, "I decided to join the protest because I believe this is the
time for change." A line of thought that now clearly resonates with the
majority of the Nigerian people.
In a report
published earlier this year, Amnesty International documented at least 82 cases
of torture, ill treatment and extra-judicial execution by SARS between January
2017 and May 2020, mostly towards men between 18 and 35 years old from
low-income backgrounds and vulnerable groups.
Sadly, this
is the daily reality of the Nigerian youth. No one knows who the next victim of
police injustice will be.
Now with
Wiki Tourists FC in Bauchi, Bauchi State, Nigeria, Stephen Chukwude believes
this is the time to end the continued harassment, extortion, and brutality
suffered by the Nigerian youth at the hands of the Nigeria police.
"If
you haven't had an ugly encounter with the Nigeria police, you won't get the
clear picture. How can you tag someone a fraudster just because that person
drives a car and owns an iPhone? My friends were also actively part of the
#EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality protests, not necessarily because they've had bad
experiences with the police, but because of what I suffered at the hands of
policemen."
"The
Nigeria police are part of my prayers every morning. Every day, I pray to never
have an encounter with the Nigeria police," Stephen Chukwude.
EndSARS protesters in France
"THE
NIGERIAN POLICE DID NOT ALLOW HIM TO BE GREAT." - Simon Kolawole
One of the
earliest cases of police brutality against sportspersons on record was the 1981
murder of Ndubuisi "Dele" Udo.
Udo was a
collegiate champion at the University of Missouri, USA, and a three-time member
of the NCAA All-American team. He held numerous Missouri, Big Eight and NCAA
records. He was primed to be a superstar. Unfortunately, he was murdered before
he could reach his peak. His only crime was coming home to Nigeria.
In the
summer of 1981, Udo returned to Nigeria, to prepare for the 3rd IAAF World Cup
scheduled for September 1981 in Rome, Italy. One evening, he along with his
colleagues left camp to buy Suya (locally grilled meat) at the Ojuelegba axis
of Lagos State, Nigeria, when they were stopped by officers of the Nigeria
police. An argument followed and as briefly as this paragraph, Udo was shot
dead by a policeman. The Nigerian dream was gone.
In 2016,
Nigerian footballer and defender for Shooting Stars Sports Club of Ibadan, Oyo
State, Joseph Izu, was shot at point blank range and killed by law enforcement
agents in a raid at Okarki, Ahoada, Rivers State.
From Udo in
1981 to Kaka in 2020, nothing has changed.
Journalists
are also in constant fear of police harassment as they go about their duties
with basic working equipment such as smart phones, laptops, tablets and other
smart devices. Most journalists have been subject to at least extortion by the
police on more than one occasion.
As gruesome
and inhumane as it may seem, Tiyamiyu Kazeem, Ndubuisi Udo, and Joseph Izu are
just a few names on the long list of victims of extrajudicial killings and
police brutality in Nigeria. Some others have been unlawfully locked away in
police cells where they are either killed secretly by whatever means including
starvation and torture, or sent to jail for a crime they did not commit. Like
Udo, the Nigerian police did not allow them to be great.
THE
BRUTALITY PERSISTS
Amid the
continued demonstrations, members of the protests were continually brutalized,
arrested, and killed by the Nigeria police at various locations across the
country, either side of official press releases by the Presidency and the
Nigeria police on the disbandment of the notorious SARS unit and agreements to
calls for police reforms.
In a video
clip that went viral on social media platform Twitter, the media officer of the
Nigeria U15 Boys National team, Adepoju Tobi Samuel, who was part of the
protests in the Alagbole area of Lagos State, was arrested and brutalized by
the police despite providing valid identification.
"On
our way to Akute, just meters away from the Ajuwon police station, we were
blocked off by some police officers. Arguments arose between the police and the
youth, and suddenly, the police opened fire," Adepoju Tobi Samuel.
Tobi was in
his vehicle with two (2) teenagers as they sought cover for the safety of their
lives. The police chased off thousands of peaceful protesters while firing
around seventy (70) rounds of live ammunition. Fortunately, Tobi and the
teenagers were unhurt.
"When
the situation was a bit calm, I decided to move to a safer place. I planned on
driving down to park my car at the police station. Just as I tried to move, we
were accosted by over a dozen police officers. I tried to identify myself as a
journalist. I presented them with both my AIPS (International Sports Press
Association) and SWAN (Sports Writers Association of Nigeria) ID cards, but
they quickly destroyed them both. While I was trying to argue with them on my
constitutional rights, one of the errant officers shot at my car tyre from
close range. I thought I - or either of the teenagers with me - was dead."
Tobi was
subsequently arrested along with the teenage boys. They were severely beaten
and then locked up in a police cell at the Ajuwon police station. Hours later
and with the intervention of colleagues and other reputable figures, Tobi and
the teenage boys were released.
Tobi Adepoju at protest
According
to Amnesty International Nigeria, which monitored developments across Nigeria throughout
the #EndSars protests which began on 8 October 2020. "At least 56 people [have] died across
the country since the protest began, with about 38 killed on Tuesday [October
20, 2020] alone. Victims include protesters and thugs who were allegedly hired
by the authorities to confront the protesters. In many cases the security
forces had used excessive force in an attempt to control or stop the
protests."
On October
20, 2020 (two days ago), at the Lekki Toll Gate, Lekki, Lagos State, Nigeria,
one of the major locations for the ongoing peaceful protests, security
operatives allegedly of the Nigerian Army, fired live ammunition at peaceful
protesters in what seemed like a coordinated assault on unarmed civilians,
leaving many young Nigerians dead and many more injured.
In
reaction, Manchester United FC forward Odion Ighalo, after his sides UEFA
Champions League victory over Paris Saint Germain, posted a video on Twitter,
calling on international communities such as the United Nations (UN) to
intervene and help stop the continued violence against peaceful protesters. In
same light, another Nigerian footballer John Ogu John vented his displeasure
via his Twitter handle, saying “The politicians should ask their children to go
and represent Nigeria in the next @NGSuperEagles , @thenff upcoming games.”
5-FOR-5
The
protesters demanded for the implementation of 5 key things; (1) Immediate
release of all arrested protesters. (2) Justice for all deceased victims of
police brutality and appropriate compensation for their families. (3) Setting
up an independent body to oversee the investigation & prosecution of all
reports of police misconduct (within 10 days). (4) In line with the new Police
Act, psychological evaluation & retraining (to be confirmed by an
independent body) of all disbanded SARS officers before they can be redeployed.
(5) Increase police salary so that they are adequately compensated for
protecting lives and property of citizens.
Although
the Nigerian government has agreed to these demands, there is very little or
nothing to be seen by way of adequate implementation. Instead, law enforcement
agents continue to commit crimes against the Nigerian people, with continued
cases of extreme brutality and extrajudicial killings.
For this,
many young Nigerians were skeptical, due to the government's long history of
failed promises on police reforms, and according to many protesters, this
remained the reason why the demonstrations continued.
When asked
about a near-death experience involving his brother and members of the SARS
unit, Nigerian sports journalist and OAP, Deinma Abaku said "When I tweet
and make posts about #EndSARS #EndPoliceBrutality, people think that I'm just
trying to join a trend. But no. It's because I've experienced it firsthand.
It's crazy! They [SARS] are bloodsuckers."
"Fundamental
human rights like peace, security and freedom from police brutality are
universal. The Nigerian government has an obligation to protect its citizens
and deliver substantive police reform," says Kaycee Madu, a Nigerian-born
lawyer and minister of justice in a Canadian province, whose cousin Chrisantus
Korie was killed by the Nigeria police in 2013.
No one
knows for sure if the government will - this time - follow through on their
promises to reform the police, but young Nigerians are hopeful. They say this
is a fight they cannot afford to lose.
"We do
not want to continue living in constant fear for our lives and safety, and for
that of our future generations."
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