YouthHubAfrica (YHA), in partnership with Onelife Initiative, Foundation for Investigative Journalism and Cedarseed Foundation, has launched a toll-free line where people can report police brutality and general human rights violations.
It is understood that the number, 0800-YOU-MATTER (0800-968-628837), can be called from any network at no cost.
The number, according to the organisations, would help in tracking government’s #EndSARS promises and expanding the civic spaces in Ebonyi, Oyo, Bauchi and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
‘It is exactly one year after we (the #EndSARS movement) forced national attention on unending issues of police brutality and poor governance’, a statement from the nonprofit read.
‘The response across different levels of government provides an opportunity to ensure aggrieved persons, especially young Nigerians and the vulnerable, are heard and key demands are met for a lasting solution to police brutality’.
Protests, with hashtag #EndSARS, were triggered by the alleged killing of a young man by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) in October 2020.
The protests were largely peaceful until the shooting of unarmed protesters in Lekki, Lagos.
Amidst the protests, the National Economic Council (NEC), chaired by the Vice-President, Yemi Osinbajo, directed the establishment of judicial panels of inquiry by state governors in Nigeria to investigate complaints of police brutality.
In compliance with the directive, 29 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, set up judicial panels of inquiry, which included representatives of youths, students, and civil society organisations (CSOs).
Over 2,791 petitions were submitted across the 29 states and the FCT, according to Yiaga Africa and Enough is Enough (EiE).
‘Judicial panels were enacted. However, little or no result has come out of these panels and young people are still at the mercy of security officials across the country’, the statement read.
‘On this anniversary of the #EndSARS protest, the consortium hopes that the toll-free line in relation to other activities within the project will mobilise actions that will track human rights violations particularly police brutalities in Nigeria and ensure that appropriate authorities are involved; support Nigerian youths to be better organised and coordinated in demanding a better future and ensure that the democratic demands of the #EndSARs are kept alive and promises of the government tracked to ensure its fulfilment’.
Photo source: Global Panorama
