https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5247-9506
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ABSTRACT
In this study, we adopted the negotiation management model (NMM) and the elaborated social identity model (ESIM) to assess and match with global best practices the conduct of personnel of the Nigerian Police Force during the End SARS protest. We used the descriptive mixed-method research design to answer the research questions after taking stock of some achievements recorded by SARS and critical factors that led to the protest. We discovered, among others, that the Nigerian Police Force lacks a functional public complaint mechanism through which members of the society can express their grievances concerning the activities of personnel of the force. Further, the orthodox belief that a dominant show of force would compel protesters to comply with government directives failed during the End SARS protest. Our finding validates H. F. Guggenheim Foundation Guide that the police's response to peaceful gatherings as if they were riots and their failure to prevent a violent development at an early stage would lead to the degeneration of protests. The study makes recommendations on achieving a peaceful and well-managed protest if a demonstration becomes inevitable.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Suggestions for future research
Future research may take a comprehensive look at the need for a psychiatric examination of personnel of the police force and other individualistic factors that would have caused human rights violations during protests.
Notes
1 Especially, its tactical unit now known and referred to as Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) was set-up in 1992 as a response to an increasing number of armed robbery cases in Lagos. SARs is a sub-unit of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Nigerian Police that is charged with the responsibility of performing undercover operations against armed robbery and related crimes such as car theft, kidnapping, and cattle rustling.
2 Iwuoha, and Ernest. “Protests and blood on the streets: repressive state, police brutality and# EndSARS protest in Nigeria.”
3 Ogundipe, Nigeria Police threaten leader of a campaign against notorious anti-robbery squad.
4 Idowu and Chukwudi. Police brutality and civil violence, 3-15.
5 Okon, “Nigerians insist on the disbandment of SARS as IGP bans killer police unit for the third time”.
6 Ogbette and Kareem, An Overview of the Impact of Special Anti-Robbery Squad, 8, no. 4.
7 Salaudeen, “Nigerians want police's SARS force scrapped”.
8 Dambo, "Nigeria's# EndSARS movement, e2583.
9 Ekwunife, "ENDSARS Protest and Centralized Police System in Nigeria.
10 Ulo, Police brutality and human rights abuse, 4.
11 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as Amended 2011).
12 IACHR, Freedom of Expression and Freedom of Assembly, 7.
13 Grace, "A balance of rights and protections in public order policing, 24.
14 Waddington, “Lessons of best practice from a major English city.” 12-32.
15 Abumbe, Peter, Etim, and Akah, Nigerian government and terrorists’ negotiation, 1-10.
16 Maguire, New directions in protest policing, 67.
17 Drury, and Reicher, Collective action and psychological change, 579–604.
18 Maguire, and Oakley. “Policing Protests”.
19 Keith, “Essays on Human Rights” 49.
20 Kipperman, “The Right of Peaceful Protest.” 549-558.
21 Jenkins, “Social movements” 13-22.
22 Aljazeera News. ‘#EndSARS: Nigerians protest against police brutality’.
23 I/A Court H.R. Case of López Lone et al. v. Honduras.
24 Maguire, “New directions in protest policing.”. 67.
25 Gorringe, and Rosie. ‘Negotiated management’ and mismanagement in the policing” 187-205.
26 Ojedokun, Ogunleye, and Aderinto. Mass mobilization for police accountability.
27 Maguire, New directions in protest policing, 67.
28 Ulo, Police brutality and human rights abuse, 4.
29 Bayley, The changing environment for policing.
30 Maguire, and Oakley. “Policing Protests”.
31 Premium Times, President Buhari's Unsettling, Disquieting Silence.
32 Kunz, “The United Nations declaration of human rights.”, 316-323.
33 The Nigerian Constitution of 1999.
34 Human Rights Watch, “Rest in Pieces”.
35 Nigerian Police Force. ‘Force criminal investigation and intelligence department’.
36 Tayo, Nigeria needs real change.
37 Falola, ‘SARS has been 'disbanded' but without total systemic reform, nothing will change’.
38 Paquette, “Nigeria abolishes a special police squad after nationwide protests”.
39 Paquette, Nigeria abolishes a special police squad after nationwide protests.
40 Muhammad, ‘SARS: The Untold Story’.
41 Pérouse de Montclos et al., “Managing conflict in Nigeria”, 02–03.
42 Ogbette, Idam, and Kareem, “An Overview of the Impact of Special Anti-Robbery Squad” (SARS), 4.
43 Godspower, Ikem, and Obiangeri, Information communication technology as a tool for social control, 1-16.
44 Abiodun, et al. “Unlawful Killings of Civilians”, 49-64.
45 Duke, and Etim. Improving Nigeria’s national security through National Youth Service Corps, 55-72.
46 Nwachukwu, EndSARS protest movement.
47 BBC, End SARS protests.
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Emma Etim
Emma Etim is a researcher at Lagos Business School. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Public Administration, Master of Science degree in Political Science (Peace Studies and Conflict Resolution) and a Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration. Before joining Lagos Business School, Etim lectured at the Lagos State Polytechnic. He has also worked in the Office of the Permanent Secretaries, Lagos State Ministry of Special Duties and Intergovernmental Relations, and Lagos State Ministry of Education, all in Alausa, Lagos State. He is a Certified Asian Reviewer and has co-authored over 25 articles in reputable international and local journals, and has made some book chapter contributions. He has attended and presented papers at many conferences and has won many awards.
Otu Duke
Otu Duke is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Public Administration, University of Calabar. Duke holds a Bachelor of Science, Master’s and Doctorate Degree in Public Administration from the University of Calabar. His focus areas are national security, peace and conflict resolution and contemporary strategic studies. Before joining the University of Calabar, he served as the Deputy Leader of the Calabar South Legislative Council, Cross River State. Duke has over ten years of lecturing and research experience and has published extensively in reputable international and local journals. He has attended and presented papers at various conferences.
Jacob Fatile
Jacob Fatile is a Professor of Public Administration at Lagos State University, Nigeria. He obtained Bachelor of Science, Master of Science, and Doctorate degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University, University of Lagos, and University of Benin. He was a former Head of the Department of Public Administration and Deputy Director of Open and Distance Learning and Research Institute (ODLRI). He is the Director of the Institute for Public Policy, Law and Economic Development of the International Institute for Policy Review and Development Strategies. He was also a Visiting Professor at the School of Management, IT and Governance at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. He is currently an Honourary Full professor with UKZN. Fatile is a member of many reputable academic and professional associations. He has published extensively in reputable local and international journals. Fatile is the author or co-author of over one hundred and twenty publications in Public Governance, Intergovernmental Relations, Local Government Administration, Public Management, Comparative Administration and Public policy Management.
Augustine Ugar Akah
Augustine Akah is an expert in conflict studies, defence/security policy and political discourse. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Policy and Administrative Studies and distinctions in Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Public Policy from Calabar, Nigeria. He is currently a researcher at the Institute of International Political Sociology, CAU, Germany. While at CAU, he works as an Academic Staff at the Faculty of Management Sciences, University of Calabar, where he teaches public policy, defence management, political economy and advanced research methodology. He has over ten years of experience in research/academic writing. He has collaborated with several authors to publish about twelve papers in international journals with high impact factors and visibility. He has participated in more than twenty-five academic conferences, including the most recent German-American conference held at Harvard University. Akah is a DAAD, PTDF and ABO Scholar with over thirty awards and recognitions.