For the fourth day in a row, young Nigerians have used protests and social media as a tool of fighting systemic oppression against both the Nigerian government and the traditional news media in Nigeria. The message has been clear and simple, #EndSars.
However, the government at the Federal level are hiding their head in the sand like ostriches, ignoring the peaceful and calm protests while the state governments are choosing to be tone-deaf to the complaints of the young populace.
Young people in Nigeria have found a voice that cannot be manipulated. Social media is a tool for fighting their oppression, this time SARS, and they are using it well. #EndSars has been the top global trend on Twitter for about 3 days in a row.
Also read:
– #ENDSARS: How Social Media Is Displacing Traditional Media As The Voice Of The People
– NIMC Corruption: To Enroll For Your NIN, You Must Pay Up To Five Thousand Naira
– #EndSARS: Federal Government Announce Ban Of SARS From Roads But Nigerians Are Not Impressed
Over 5 million Tweets and possible evidence of war crimes against members of the police, and members of the government. Like this tweet where the police chose to shoot peaceful protesters.
SARS opened fire on peaceful protesters today in magbon #rema #sacked #burna #EnsSARS #EndPoliceBrutality pic.twitter.com/u7FSJlySSj
— Mufasa (@Mufasa03322079) October 10, 2020
The traditional media is playing accomplice to the systematic oppression of the government but social media is bigger than both of them. Take for example Television station, TVC, chose to misreport events that resulted in the death of a protester in Oyo state Nigeria. The channel relays the event as the young Nigerian, Jimoh Isiaq losing his life in a crossfire. This indicates an illegitimate struggle and a violent riot.
#EndSARSOGbomoso Burial of Jimoh Isiaq allegedly shot dead by Policemen in Ogbomoso during a protest against police brutality, he was reported not to be a protester but an onlooker who was caught up in the crossfire @seyiamakinde @SundayDareSD @oyostategovt @PoliceNG @MBuhari pic.twitter.com/DNgGFA3KL8
— TVC News (@tvcnewsng) October 10, 2020
It didn’t even take minutes before Nigerians responded to the lie with video evidence of the Nigerian Police Force opening fire on unarmed protesters.
Also read:
– #EndSARS: Runtown, Falz, Tiwa Savage Lead Hundreds To A Peaceful Protest In Lagos
– #EndSARS: Nigerians Are Creating Emergency Apps To Report Police Brutality, See Some Here
– Square Buys 4,709 Bitcoins, Worth Approximately $50 Million
However, another tweet shows Jimoh, standing, hands akimbo, armless watching moments before his death.
Does this picture looks like he was carrying anything at all?
Na thunder go fire una and una family one by one for that station! pic.twitter.com/I3G9cXjfFG— MrSweetmouth (@JaySweetmouth) October 10, 2020
The government is resorting to its well know tactic, lies and oppression, aided by the traditional media, however this time the protesting youths have the perfect foil for that, social media. There, they can’t destroy the evidence or intimidate the protesters, little wonder they want to regulate it so bad.
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