#SayTheirNames – More Than Statistics

For every name here, there are hundreds more

The Nigerian government adopted a law criminalising torture in December 2017. However, to date, no one has been convicted of torture in a Nigerian court. Perpetrators of torture like the notorious Special Anti- Robbery Squad continue to act with impunity as if they are above the law. We must say the names of hundreds of our loved ones who have been gruesomely murdered by these bandits, in recognition that they are not just numbers, neither are they an addition to statistics. 

Know these names. Say these names. Take action on behalf of these names.

Adeyemo Rotimi

Adeyemo Rotimi, a member of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) was murdered in cold blood by a suspected FSARS operative while discharging his lawful duties at his point in Iyana Ipaja on the 28th of November, 2018.

APO SIX

At just 25 and 22, when their love story was still budding, Ifeanyi and Augustina were gunned down in cold blood along with four of their friends by trigger happy police officers 15 years ago today in one of the most heinous extra-judicial killings Nigerians can remember. They would have been celebrating 15 years of marriage, if they were alive.

Jimoh Isiaq

Jimoh Isiaq was killed on the 10th of October, 2020 while protesting peacefully in Ogbomoso, Oyo State to #EndSars.

Chima Ikwunado

Chima, a mechanic, was arrested by police in Port Harcourt. While in detention, his family was extorted by the police. The police @PoliceNG falsely framed him with robbery to extort his family more. He was tortured more and died in police custody.

Ifeoma Abugu

She was arrested by SARS operatives at Lokogoma Abuja on 10 September. The next day Ifeoma Abugu died in SARS custody. Up to now, there were no answers on the circumstances of her death. The police claim she died of a cocaine overdose.

Linda Igwetu

Linda who was a member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), was on her way home with friends around 3 am on Wednesday, July 4, 2018, when she was killed by a police officer, identified as Inspector Benjamin Peters.

Tochukwu Iro

Tochukwu was a 42-year-old patent medicine dealer killed in Kano following an allegation that he refused to stop when ordered to do so by the police.

Tiamiyu Kazeem

Tiamiyu was a 21-year-old footballer who died after he was pushed out of a moving vehicle by the Special Anti Robbery Squad.

Sadiq

Sadiq, a 17-year-old boy, was at home on May 18, 2020, in Gwarimpa Abuja when SARS operatives stormed the house and shot him. SARS bullets damaged Sadiq’s bones. When his family demanded justice, the SARS leadership at Guzape threatened them.

Livinus Okafor

Livinus was arrested in August 2014 by #SARS in Anambra state. All efforts by his family to know his fate failed. Till today, no one knows the whereabouts of Livinus.

Tina Ezekwe

A stray bullet hit 17-year-old girl, Tina Ezekwe, who was standing at Berger, Iyana Oworo bus-stop in Lagos. The shot, as gathered, pierced through her left upper thigh. She was rushed to the hospital by some policemen, where she died on May 28th 2020.

Chibuike Daniel Dominic, aka Sleek, 

Daniel, 20-year-old was shot dead in Elelewo axis of Obi-Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Saturday, 19th of September, 2020.

Kolade Johnson

Kolade Johnson was shot and killed by operatives of the Gbagada division of the Special Anti Cultism Squad (SACS) of the Lagos State Police Command while watching a football match on Sunday, March 31, 2019.

Babatunde Ramon Adeniji

Ramon, a 39-year-old man was shot dead on Friday, 27th of December, 2019 at about 04:20 am around Eko Atlantic Victoria Island, Lagos.

Emmanuel Egbo

Emmanuel was a 15-year-old boy killed by a police officer in Enugu on 25 September 2008. He was playing with his fellow children and was unarmed.

Aneke Okorie

Aneke who was an Okada (motorcycle taxi) rider, was shot after he failed to pay a bribe to the police at a checkpoint in Emene, Enugu state, on 15 May 2009. He died on the way to the hospital.

Stanley Adiele Uwakwe & Faka Tamunotonye Kalio

They were arrested on 10 May and brought to Old GRA detention centre in Port Harcourt. After several days, they were transferred to another police station, but officers there told relatives that the men were not in detention. Unofficially, relatives were informed that the men had been killed by the police.

NIGERIA: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SAYS POLICE “KILL AT WILL”

Iloanya Chijioke

Chijioke was arrested in Nov. 2012 and was detained at SARS Awkuzu, Anambra state. His family has been asking questions and there were no answers; on his whereabouts. Till today, he is still declared missing.

The government of Nigeria promised; SARS will be reformed in 2015; SARS will be reformed in 2017; FSARS will be disbanded in 2018; SARS will be restructured in 2019; SARS banned from patrols in 2020. However, they run unchecked to date.

Today, citizens of the country are calling for an end to SARS and its operations in the country. Amnesty International research shows that young persons between the ages of 17 and 30 are at the most risk of arrest, torture or extortion by SARS. 

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Chukwuemeka Matthew Onovo

Matthew aged 22, left his father’s house in Enugu on the morning of 4 July 2008. He died in a shoot-out by the police. The police claimed that Chukwuemeka Matthew Onovo was an armed robber, but an eyewitness said he was unarmed when he was killed. No one was held responsible.

Chibuike Anams

Chibuike Anams was a student aged 23, he was sitting with two friends at a guesthouse in Elimgbu, Rivers State, on 24 July 2009. When the police raided the guest house, he was shot and died on the spot.

Christian Onuigbo

Christian was shot on 19 March while he was parking his car in Jiwa, Federal Capital Territory. He spent the night at Jiwa police station and was taken to hospital the next morning. Staff at the hospital refused to treat him without a police report, which was finally submitted at 4 pm. Christian Onuigbo died the following day.

Chika Ibeku,  Gabriel Ejoor Owoicho, Precious Odua, Johnson Nnaemeka

All 4, were arrested by police on 7 April 2010. They were initially detained at Omoko Police station, where they were last seen by family members the following morning. Ibeku and three other men reported to have been held in Port Harcourt are now missing. The police’s refusal to disclose the whereabouts of Chika Ibeku is deeply troubling; Amnesty International suspects they were tortured and killed by the police. 

Godgift Ferguson Ekerete (24), Tony Oruama (21), Harry Ataria (26), Mbakwe Oruama (20)

GodsGift, 24, was arrested during a police raid in Port Harcourt alongside three others.

On the morning of 3rd of July 2008, a busload of armed police officers wearing mufti intercepted a group of four men waiting for a bus at Rumuomasi in Port Harcourt to take them to a burial ceremony. The men took off in fear of their lives, and the policemen opened fire on them, arresting all four. According to Amnesty International, were all killed at the police station the same day.

Daniel Adewuyi Tella

Daniel Adewuyi Tella was a 27-year-old graduate of Banking and Finance. He was arrested on 7 February 2006 on his way home in Festac, Lagos. He died in Police custody.

Femi Bello

Femi Bello was a 300 level student of Economics at Kaduna State University, he had just finished his 2nd Semester exams with the hope of proceeding to his final year. He was tortured and killed on the 7th of December, 2019 by the Police.

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Don’t exactly know what to do?

1. Understand

Choose to understand that people who are angry, in pain, and have gone unheard for so long may choose actions they believe are necessary to be heard and to be seen.

2. Educate Yourself.

Educate yourself, you may not have experienced police brutality first hand, but many have. Listen to their stories, read up and educate yourself. 

3. Speak Up

Awareness and acknowledgement are the beginning steps to change. Silence is damaging. 

4. Support 

You can donate to the #EndSars movement here. Also, you can join a protest as so many are happening in the country right now.

5. Vote

Our vote is decisive. We can elect leaders on the local, state, and national levels who denounce the unfair treatment of people and put an end to police brutality in the country.