Black Lives Matter Everywhere

It started as just a hashtag, but now EndSars has become an avid protest. The Special Anti-Robbery Squad was founded in 1992 to protect the Nigerian citizens. Still, since their formation, they have been abusing their power by raping, kidnapping, murdering, and unlawfully arresting the very people they're supposed to protect. In 2017, Twitter demanded the end of Nigerian police brutality; the country has been fighting ever since. The protest recently caught the light on Tuesday when a soldier fatally shot a protestor in the Nigerian city, Lagos. Many were injured in Lagos' aftermath and needed immediate health care; unfortunately, ambulances prevented from helping those in need by the Nigerian army. Amidst the uprising of the protest, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the Lagos state governor, imposed a lockdown on Lagos. On Tuesday morning, Sanwo-Olu tweeted, "I, therefore, this moment impose a 24-hour curfew on all parts of the State as fro4 pmpm today, 20th October 2020." The only ones excluded from this lockdown were essential workers and first responders, which is strikingly odd since first responders prohibited from catering to those injured by the Nigerian government. After the tragedy, many celebrities and influencers have been shedding light on the #EndSars (Links to an external site.) protest, including, Saweetie, Rihanna, and Beyonce. Saweetie collaborated with Nigerian singer OmahLay for Americans to understand what they can do and the importance of social media in such troubling times. Beyonce revealed that she would be providing healthcare, food, and shelter for the protestors in Nigeria. Plenty of American cities previously held or will be holding protests or candle vigils to support Nigeria. We must remember, black lives matter everywhere and that equality is a right, not a privilege.