You Matter in this Matter

The #EndSARS movement forced national attention on unending issues of police brutality and poor governance, and the response across levels of government provided a sudden opportunity to ensure aggrieved persons, especially youth and the vulnerable voices were heard. There was hope that through the judicial panels, justice may be served and social oppressions prevented.

The main objective of the project idea was to — Expand the civic spaces in 3 Nigerian States and the FCT leading to citizens’ increased tracking of the government’s #EndSARS promises and reducing human rights violations. Where petitions are still being received, this consortium proposes to back up the government’s effort in asking aggrieved youths to send in petitions and attend judicial panel hearings in 3 states — Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi, and the Federal Capital Territory.

The consortium proposes three solutions —

• ensure that the democratic demands of the movement are kept alive and promises of the government tracked to ensure its fulfilment;
• Mobilise actions that will track human rights violations particularly police brutalities in Nigeria and ensure that appropriate authorities are involved;
• and support Nigerian youths to be better organised and coordinated in demanding a better future.

In states where petitions were still being received, simplified public announcements on last-mile media outlets like radio and social media were used with attention given to local languages. Women and Persons With Disability whose human rights were violated were also targeted with the jingles and encouraged to file petitions. Violated unlettered youths and others were supported to document their petitions and shown where to submit them. We also facilitated legal support for petitioners through partnerships with the local branches of the Nigerian Bar Association.

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The reports from panel sessions were also reported live through social media while featured stories on various cases were published in Nigerian dailies and blogs. Radio airtime was dedicated to giving publicity to the judicial hearings committed to providing citizens with content on the coordination of social movements neatly embedded. The radio programme reviewed the major cases from the judicial panel helping to keep the goal of the EndSARS movement alive, especially the benefits to the country.

The fourth action included relating with the government to document simple processes that youths can follow in reporting similar misdemeanours in the future, while also ensuring the documentation of the government’s commitments to promised reforms.
This was forged through organised dialogue sessions between government officials, the police and citizens, styled as town hall meetings.
100 Young people and PWDs also benefited from a 4-week virtual course on social activism.

The print, social media and radio report’s further aimed to keep the government’s gaze on the need to truly #EndSARS thus making policies and legislations around this conceivable. Where instances of police brutality happen, there were clear public channels for reporting such as against leaving it to run for years before being forced to burst to the fore after lives have been lost.