EndSARS in NIGERIA.

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SARS, What is it? SARS, also known as the Special Anti-Robbery Squad was created back in 1992 to deal with crimes associated with; Robbery, vehicle theft, kidnapping, cattle rustling and fire arms.

SARS is well known in Nigeria for its links and use of; extrajudicial killings, extortion, torture, framing, blackmailing, kidnapping, illegal organ trading, armed robbery, rape of Men and Women, Child arrests, invasion on privacy and polluting bodies of water by illegally disposing of human remains.

In December 2017, the EndSARS campaign was started by Segun Awosanya, a Nigerian realtor and human rights activist. The campaign began online where he demanded the SARS brutality must end in Nigeria, #EndSARS began to trend on social media.

Mid December 2017 protests began in the streets if Abuja.
The Senate of Nigeria backed scrapping SARS.

August 2018 acting president Yemi Osinbajo ordered with immediate effect, to reform SARS.

October 2020 a SARS officers shot a young Nigerian man in front of the Wetland Hotel in Ughelli, where the incident was caught on video and soon spread around social media and began to trend and catch the attention of many influencers, which lead to nationwide protests beginning.

Peaceful protests were happening in Abuja where the protestors were attacked, beaten and chased away by Federal Police. There is video footage of police tear-gassing, shooting live ammunition and using water canons on the protestors.

On the 9th October 2020 protestor, Jimoh Isaiq, was shot dead by police officers, leading to protestors becoming more angry.

On the 11th October 2020 Inspector General of Police announced the disbanding of SARS on live television, where he also said a new tactical team would shortly be unveiled. Protests continued though as the people of Nigeria believed that the new unit would have several members from SARS, and would continue with the brutality.

Protests in Abuja gained more momentum and again protestors found themselves being shot at with live ammunition and water canons.

In Ogbomsho, Oyo State, a total of 8 people were killed due to the protests including a 10 year old boy, and 3 people shot dead in Lagos, 1 who wasn’t taking part in the protests.

On 20th October 2020 a peaceful protest was taking place on the Lekki toll bridge. where the protestors found themselves locked in on the bridge. The lights on the bridge were switched off and were shot at and beaten.

Police say there were no fatalities but witnesses at the scene say otherwise claiming several people were killed. Police say there were a total of 25 people wounded.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-54624611

STEPHON CLARK.

Stephon Clark, 22 years old, was shot and killed on 18th March 2018, when he was standing in the back garden of his Grandmothers home in Sacramento, California.

Two officers, Terrance Mercadal and Jared Robinet, were responding to a 911 call about an individual breaking car windows around 9:18pm. There was a Sheriffs helicopter that reported there was a man spotted at 9:25pm in a nearby back garden, they told the officers that he had shattered a car window using a toolbar and then ran to the front of the house.

The officers spot Stephon in the driveway of his grandmothers house and shout “Hey, show me your hands, stop! stop!” They then chased Stephon to the back garden of the house where one of the officers continue to shout “Show me your hands! Gun!” According to the police, Stephon turned around holding an object in front of him which they believed to be a gun. Three seconds pass before an officer again shouts “Show me your hands! Gun! Gun! Gun!” and the shoots Stephon.

20 bullets were fired at Stephon, he was shot eight times, 6 times in the back. The report found that one of the bullets that hit Stephon from the front was likely fired while he was already on the ground.

They waited 5 minutes after shooting to approach the body and cuff him where they found him unarmed and holding an Iphone.

The officers were placed on paid administrative leave and the police department began a use-of-force investigation.

No one was charged for the Murder of Stephon Clark.

WALTER SCOTT.

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On 4th April 2015 Walter Scott was on his way to an Auto parts store when he was pulled over by Police Officer Michael Slager, in the car park for having a faulty break light.

Dashcam footage from Slagers patrol car shows him getting out of his car, approaching Walters car, speaking to him and then going back to his patrol car and then Walter making a run for it and Slager makes the decision to chase him on foot.

( video of dashcam footage: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQa9zmxanZY )

The two of them had a physical altercation where either before of during, Slager fires his taser hitting Walter, and then Walter makes another attempt to run away when Slager pulls out his gun and fires 8 shots at Walter from behind. He immediately radios in saying “shots fired, subject down, he grabbed my taser.”

Walter was struck a total of 5 times, three to his back, one to his upper Buttocks and once to his ear. The fatal shot being one in his back that struck his lung and heart.

  • 7th April 2015 – Slager arrested and charged with Murder.
  • 8th June 2015 – Indicted by Jury.
  • 4th January 2016 – Released on $500,000 bail and on house arrest until the trial.
  • 11th May 2016 – Slager indicted on federal charges
  • 31st October 2016 – Trial began.
  • 5th December 2016 – Judge declared a mistrial as Jury was deadlock with 11/12 jurors favouring conviction.
  • 2nd May 2017 – Slager enters a plea agreement and pleads guilty to deprivation of rights under colour of law.
  • 7th December 2017 – Slager sentenced to 20 years in prison.

SLAGER IS STILL IN PRISON EARLIEST RELEASE BEING AUGUST 2033.

Video of Walter Scott being shot: WARNING GRAPHIC.

TRAYVON MARTIN.

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Trayvon Martin, 17 years old, was staying with his Dad in Sanford, Florida on the 26th February 2012. While his dad and his girlfriend were out one evening, he went for a walk to the local shop and picked himself up a packet of Skittles and an Arizona Watermelon drink.

George Zimmerman, a neighbourhood watch volunteer, saw Trayvon walking back from the shop when he made a call to the police saying that he thought he looked “suspicious”.

Zimmerman approached Trayvon and there was an altercation between the two of them, however there’s specific details of what happened, Zimmerman shot Trayvon in the chest, killing Trayvon, and claimed it was self defence.

George Zimmerman was charged with second degree murder and manslaughter. 

On 10th June 2013 Zimmerman’s trial began.

On 13th July 2013 he was acquitted of all charges.

IN DECEMBER 2019 GEORGE ZIMMERMAN LAUNCHED A LAWSUIT TO SUE TRAYVON MARTINS FAMILY, THEIR LAWYERS AND PROSECUTORS FOR 100M, CLAIMING HE WAS VICTIM OF A CONSPIRACY ALONG WITH MALICIOUS PROSECUTION AND DEFAMATION. 

 

Documentary: Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story.

 

 

AMADOU DIALLO.

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Amadou Diallo was 23 years old, living in The Soundview section of The Bronx, New York City.

On the 4th February 1999, Amadou was shot outside his apartment in the early hours of the morning by four police officers; Sean Carrell, Richard Murphy, Edward McMellon and Kenneth Boss.

Police officer Sean Carrell claimed to have mistaken him for a rape suspect from a year earlier. The officers said that Amadou ran up the steps of his apartment when they approached him and ignored their orders to ‘stop and show his hands’. They claimed the porch light was out and they saw Amadou reach into his jacket and pull out something, which was his wallet, Carrell then shouted “GUN” to his fellow officers to warn them, and they all opened fire on Amadou Diallo.

41 shots were fired at Amadou Diallo and 19 hit him.

A witness testified that the officers opened fire with no warning.

On 25th March 1999 all four officers were indicted on the charges of second degree murder and reckless endangerment. on 16th December a court ordered a change of venue due to pretrial publicity where the jury after two days of deliberation found all four officers NOT GUILTY.

AMADOU DIALLO WAS MURDERED BY SEAN CARRELL, RICHARD MURPHY, EDWARD MCMELLON AND KENNETH BOSS. 

NO JUSTICE WAS SERVED.

SANDRA BLAND.

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Sandra Bland was 28 years old. On 10th July 2015 Sandra was pulled over and issued a ticket for a failure to signal by Officer Brian Encinia.

Encinia said that the encounter between the two got heated fast and then proceeded to arrest Sandra for assaulting a police officer. Sandra was charged and taken to Waller county jail, Texas.

SANDRA BLAND WAS FOUND HANGING IN HER CELL 3 DAYS AFTER BEING ARRESTED; HER DEATH WAS RULED AS SUICIDE.

Texas authorities and the FBI conducted an investigation and determined Waller County Jail did not follow the required policies including regular time checks on inmates and not completing the required mental health training for employees.

In December 2015 the Jury declined to indict the County Sheriff and Jail Staff for any felonies.

Brian Encinia was indicted for perjury for making false statements regarding the circumstances of Sandra’s arrest and was fired.

In June 2017 Perjury charges against Encinia were dropped in return for his career in law enforcement to be permanently over.

 

Recording from Sandra Bland’s mobile phone of Officer Brian Encinia confronting her;

 

 

ELIJAH MCCLAIN.

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Elijah McClain was a 23 year old massage therapist, he lived in Aurora, Colorado. On the 24th August 2019 Elijah was walking home from the shop when he was approached by police officers, Nathan Woodyard, Jason Rosenblatt and Randy Roedema.

The Police department received a call just after 10:30 pm,  from a resident reporting a “suspicious person” in a ski mask, flailing his arms. Elijah would wear a mask when out because he had anemia and would sometimes get cold.

The Officers tried to arrest Elijah, even though he had not committed a crime and was not armed. They state that Elijah resisted arrest. He was held to the floor and one officer put him in the ‘carotid hold’ which involves applying pressure the the side of the neck to temporarily cut off the blood flow to the brain.

First Responders were called to the scene and they injected Elijah with Ketamine to sedate him. 

On the way to the hospital Elijah went into Cardiac arrest.

Elijah was declared brain dead and died in hospital several days later after being taken off his life support.

Elijahs autopsy was ‘inconclusive’ and the coroner could not determine an exact cause of death, although he did say that it could of been an accident resulting in a drug reaction from the Ketamine. He also stated that it could of been homicide if the officers use of the carotid hold contributed to his death, it could of also been from an asthma attack.

One officer accused Elijah of reaching for an officers gun, although there was no evidence of this.
The body cams also ‘fell off during them restraining Elijah’ but on one of the videos you see one of the cameras being picked up and then an officer saying “don’t pick it up ” and it is dropped back into grass.

On 28th August all three officers were put on paid administrative leave.

No charges were filed against them.

 

 

 

 

TAMIR RICE.

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Tamir Rice was a 12 year old, in Cleveland, Ohio on the 22nd November 2014, when two officers, Timothy Loehmann and Frank Garmback, were responding to a call regarding “a male who keeps pulling a gun from his pants and pointing it at people” at the Cudell Recreation Centre. The man who made the call at the beginning and during the phone call states “the gun is probably fake” and at the end of the call he says “he is probably a juvenile” But this information was not relayed to the officers.

When the officers arrived at the scene and saw Tamir, they yelled “show me your hands” through the patrol car window. Loehmann says that instead of Tamir showing his hands to them ‘it looked as if he was trying to draw his gun’ he also said “he knew it was a gun and it was coming out” He then shot 12 year old, Tamir twice in the torso. Tamir Rice was out, playing with an airsoft replica that didn’t have the orange tip on the end of the barrel.

He died the Following day.

  • Both Officers were placed on administrative leave.
  • On 26th November surveillance footage was released by the police of the incident.
  • On 3rd June 2015 the Sheriffs office declared that the investigation had been complete and they handed their findings over to the county prosecutor.
  • Months later the prosecution presented evidence to a jury which declined to indict on the basis that it looks as though Tamir was drawing an actual firearm from his waist.

It had also come to light that in Loehmanns previous job as a police officer he was deemed an emotionally unstable recruit and unfit for duty.

TIMOTHY LOEHMANN KILLED TAMIR RICE.

 

YVETTE SMITH.

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Yvette Smith was a 47 year old mother of three when she called the police at around 00:30 on the 16th February 2014 about a dispute between two men that she had tried to calm down. She raised concerns to the police over the phone about a gun being involved in the dispute.

Two officers later arrived at the property, when they got there they immediately saw one man already outside of the house and issued a verbal command for the other occupants of the house to step outside.

Yvette opened the door of her house and when she did Officer Daniel Willis shouted “POLICE” and THREE SECONDS LATER fired shots at Yvette, hitting her twice.

Yvette died in hospital.

In April 2016 Daniel Willis was found NOT GUILTY of murder.

DANIEL WILLIS MURDERED YVONNE SMITH.

 

OSCAR GRANT.

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Oscar Grant was 22 years old. He was on his way back from a party at around 2 A.M after celebrating on new year in 2009, when police pulled him and three of his friends off the BAY AREA RAPID TRANSIT (BART) Train in Oakland, responding to reports of fighting on the crowded train.

Oscar and his friends were sat up against the wall on the platform co-operating. Oscar is even said to have told his friends to calmly co-operate with the Officers.

Oscar was Kneed in the head by Officer Anthony Pirone and then forced to lay on his front on the ground when he pinned him down with his knee on his neck and Officer Johannes Mehserle on top of Grant.

JOHANNES MEHSERLE PULLED OUT HIS GUN AND SHOT OSCAR IN THE BACK.

Oscar was taken to Highland Hospital and was pronounced dead later that day.

Mehserle says that he was reached for what he thought was his taser when he shot Oscar in the back.

  • Mehserle was fired from his job.
  • 30th January 2010  Mehserle was charged with First-Degree Murder to which he plead guilty.
  • 10th June 2010 The trail began.
  • 8th July 2010 Mehserle was found guilty of involuntary manslaughter but was found not-guilty of murder and voluntary manslaughter.
  • 5th November 2010 Merserle was sentenced to 2 years minus his time already served, he was held in a private cell for his own safety.
  • 13th June 2011 Mehserle was released after serving 11 months.

 

JOHANNES MEHSERLE MURDERED OSCAR GRANT.
AND SERVED 11 MONTHS FOR IT.

FILM BASED ON THE KILLING OF OSCAR GRANT ON NETFLIX – FRUITVALE STATION.