'Nigerian Police Learnt Nothing After EndSARS Uprising'

Presidential candidate of African Action Congress Omoyele Sowore has said the Nigerian police have not learnt any lessons from the EndSARS protest following the recent killing of a lawyer, Omobolanle Raheem.

Raheem was on her way home from a Christmas Day service when the officer shot at her family's vehicle at a checkpoint in Ajah, Lagos State, killing her and her unborn child.

The circumstances remain unclear, but according to media reports, the officers were conducting a stop-and-search operation. The incident has triggered widespread criticism of police and Nigerian authorities by citizens and rights groups, including Amnesty International.

In 2020, the #EndSARS protests were triggered by grievances arising from years of harassment and rights violations by operatives of the police's Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) which led to its disbandment in October 2020. A new unit, the Special Weapons and Tactics Team (SWAT), was formed to replace the controversial squad. The protests gained global attention and culminated in the shooting of unarmed protesters at the Lekki tollgate, in which 56 people lost their lives. 

The police arrested the officer who shot and killed Raheem. Amnesty International has said the police investigation must be impartial and made public.