Street protests against a notorious Nigerian police unit have received an invaluable boost from viral campaigning and celebrity support.
On Friday, the #EndSARS hashtag was trending not only in Nigeria, but in the UK and the United States.
British-Nigerian actor John Boyega voiced his support for the campaign, as did popular Nigerian musicians Davido and DJ Cuppy.
“This situation is tied to many other issues. Please lend your attention to this pressing problem!” Boyega posted on Twitter.
Chart-topping musician Davido tweeted: “My people need me …. #EndSarsNow.”
After receiving pressure from fans to publicly back the protests, DJ Cuppy wrote: “I would (be) lying if I said I’m DIRECTLY affected by SARS but a lot of my Cupcakes are and that’s enough for me to care. I stand behind the movement to #EndPoliceBrutality AND #EndSARS.”
The hashtag is a public cry for the Nigerian government to disband the Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit blighted by accusations of corruption and brutality.
This week, fresh protests erupted over the alleged killing of a man by SARS officers on Saturday.
The animosity towards the unit is not new, however.
What is the background to this latest unrest?
For years, videos that appear to show SARS officers extorting and assaulting civilians have been surfacing on social media. (ITV)
