Africans across the world, from Haiti to Namibia to Philadelphia, are fighting back against the war being waged on them by the neo-colonial, capitalist, imperialist, patriarchal order. In Nigeria, a recent wave of mobilizations re-ignited the #EndSARS movement. SARS, or the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, is a notorious police unit that has been terrorizing Nigerians since 1992, and it was disbanded on October 11th in response to popular protest. A similar police unit named Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) replaced it, but Nigerians see through the deceptive maneuver from their oppressors. The protests continued against SWAT as well as against broader issues brought on by capitalist imperialism in Nigeria. These protests were brutally repressed by the military and police, most visibly at the Lekki massacre on October 20th.

Since then, the Nigerian government, led by President Buhari, has employed multiple strategies to forcefully suppress the popular uprisings, including shooting at and killing many protestors, causing mayhem at protests, curfews, a protest ban, prosecuting activists and organizers using trumped up charges such as conspiracy, mischief, and unlawful assembly, and denying that they have used any of these tactics. Though some fearless Nigerians continue to take the streets, the mass demonstrations that took place in the first couple of weeks of October have decreased significantly in number. Nigerians have gotten more creative and strategic in their organizing because of the deadly politically environment they face.

The U.S. Out of Africa Network and Pan-African Community Action exposed the role of the U.S. militarism and imperialism in these developments through a statement which explains, “the neo-colonial character of the Nigerian authorities, represented not only in the tendency to repress the population on behalf of the interests of the comprador and Nigerian bourgeoisie, but also on behalf of Western imperialism.” U.S. programs like AFRICOM and the U.S. led IACP, that militarize and train Nigerian police and military members, must be unmasked. We will continue to focus on the workings of imperialism, along with the fact that the war that Africans on the continent and around the world are fighting against is the same war that is being waged on African/Black people in the United States. No Compromise, No Retreat! Defeat the War on African/Black People in the U.S. and Abroad!

Pan-African Activists Condemn U.S. Training of Nigerian Police and Armed Forces

Black Star News – October 24, 2020¬

Nigeria’s relationship to the U.S. and its military to military relationship with AFRICOM must be seen as indirectly if not directly culpable for the massacre of protesters by the military.

United States: Black Lives Matters stands with #EndSARS movement in Nigeria

By Malik Miah – October 28, 2020

BLM leaders from many organizations and alliances in the United States have expressed strong support for Nigerian people in their #EndSARS protests against state violence.

Oyigbo massacre: CUPP drags Buhari to international community over killings by soldiers

By John Owen Nwachukwu – November 2

CUPP urged Buhari to call off his ongoing use of brutal military action that is perpetrating the ongoing massacre in Oyigbo Local Government Area of Rivers State.

Nigeria: Authorities must stop attempts to cover up Lekki Toll Gate massacre

Amnesty International – October 28, 2020

The Nigerian authorities still have many questions to answer about the night that the military opened fire on the #EndSars protesters who were peacefully calling for an end to police brutality.

#EndSARS: ASCAB Sets Up 7-Man Independent Inquiry to Probe Killings, Arson

By Bola Badmus – November 2, 2020

A coalition of 80 organizations has set up a 7-person independent panel of inquiry to probe the killings of Nigerians in the wake of the #EndSARS protests.

Falana-led ASCAB tasks Makinde on #EndSARS panel

By Rotimi Agboluaje and Segun Olaniyi – October 30, 2020

Expediting the constitution of a panel to probe human rights abuses during the #EndSARS protests would expose the abuse of rights and quicken the compensation of victims.

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Photo credit: Reuters