By Uchenna Offor
The #EndSARS protest, which the country experienced for two weeks, turned violent last week, with reports of jailbreaks across the country sparking numerous controversies. One narrative suggests that it was a blessing in disguise, as it freed innocent protesters who had been arrested and locked up in various prisons—somewhat akin to the divine intervention that delivered the biblical Paul and Silas from persecution. The prison breaks are seen as God’s deliverance of Nigerians for believing in and demanding a better Nigeria.
Another perspective is that the jailbreaks have unleashed society’s enemies back onto the public, as armed robberies and kidnappings have reportedly increased across the country following these incidents. This is particularly notable in Edo, Ondo, and Lagos States, where about 2,000 inmates are said to be missing. It is also believed that hoodlums took advantage of the EndSARS movement to rescue their members from these detention centers.
The State and Federal Governments have issued directives to ensure that those who escaped are rearrested. However, little is known about the extent of this effort, though authorities have assured the public that all escaped prisoners will be apprehended. Now, the question remains: should the protesters be pardoned or rearrested?
Some of those arrested, and others who feared the government might detain them for protesting, have fled the country. Among them is Bob Otamere, a 19-year-old student at Auchi Polytechnic, who was arrested on Sapele Road during the protest. In a phone conversation, Mr. Otamere confided that he is now safely outside Nigeria but fears how long he can remain free before the government attempts to apprehend him again after he escaped from Oko Prison during the jailbreak.
“I panicked when the shooting continued inside the prison; I had to run out to save my life. But I don’t want to go back to jail for doing nothing. I received death threats, was denied bail, and was not taken to court. They even asked my family to bring one million naira to bail me, claiming that I was one of the masterminds. I believe they would never have released me and only wanted to extort my poor family, who are barely surviving. I am safe here, and I believe that someday we will all be strong enough to come back and continue the fight for a better Nigeria,” Bob said.
The freedom to protest remains a constitutional right of every Nigerian; therefore, the government must find a way to protect its citizens as they exercise this right. While it is necessary for the government to track down those with criminal records and return them to prison, protesters should be offered a chance for pardon and assured of their safety upon returning to their normal lives. Otherwise, the government may be creating greater problems than it aims to resolve.
The issues surrounding the protest were genuine, as the series of killings of young Nigerians by the defunct anti-robbery squad was widely known. While the government has taken a positive step by disbanding the unit, it must ensure that these personnel are entirely removed from the police force to prevent the resurgence of similar issues under a new name and uniform. Because while you may take the man out of the military, you cannot entirely take the military out of the man. The government must also take care to address other issues raised during the protests, as they hold the potential to spark future protests.
