• About
  • Advertise
  • Careers
  • Contact
Sunday, July 20, 2025
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
NEWSLETTER
Reporters At Large
  • Home
  • News
    • World
    • For The Record
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
  • Business
    • Auto Trend
  • Politics
  • Tourism
  • Lifestyle
    • People & Events
    • Health
  • RAL TV
    • Video
    • Video News
  • More
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
    • Contact Us
  • Home
  • News
    • World
    • For The Record
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
  • Business
    • Auto Trend
  • Politics
  • Tourism
  • Lifestyle
    • People & Events
    • Health
  • RAL TV
    • Video
    • Video News
  • More
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
    • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
Reporters At Large
No Result
View All Result
Home Featured

Nigeria May Shut Down Internet As #EndSARS Protests Continue

by ReportersAtLarge
October 14, 2020
in Featured, Tourism & Culture
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
End SARS protesters in Abuja 2
Share on WhatsappShare on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Linkedin

With Nigerians not backing down on protests for the reform of the police force and total disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), there are speculations that the government might shut down the internet.

Six days ago, a video of a fatal police shooting of a Nigerian man, sparked outrage and reignited a public call for the total dissolution of the controversial police unit in the country.

The video caused large numbers of Nigerians including celebrities, politicians, and activists calling for justice using hashtags such as #WarOnSars, #EndSars, and #SarsAlert #SARSMUSTEND.

With celebrities adding their voice to the #EndSARS campaign, it jumped to the top of the global trend on Twitter and drew international support from celebrities and soccer stars like Kanye West, Trey Songs, Mesut Ozil and Marcus Rashford.

Nigeria’s superstars, Wizkid and Falz who are also part of this generation of protesters, have been physically present in London and Abuja protests.

RelatedPosts

MICE Africa Forum And Expo Ghana 2025 Set To Boost Business Tourism

2025 Africa Business Tourism And MICE Masterclass To Cultivate Thriving MICE Iindustry Across Africa

UAE Imposes Stricter Entry Rules For Nigerians

The protests against the police have largely been organized on social media, fuelled by citizens sharing their experiences of police abuses and videos of brutal incidents, including the beating of civilians and the firing of live ammunition at protesters.

The campaign moved from social media to the streets of Nigeria, with protesters demanding an end to the rogue police unit and wholesome police reform.

However, the protesters are not relenting despite the dissolution of the notorious police squad but have continued to protest noting the government’s ineffectual promises of police reforms and investigations in the past.

The campaigners have also been able to organise funds to cater to their welfares during protest using digital payment platforms.

But there are now speculations that the Nigerian government may shut the protesters up by shutting down the internet since the surreptitious move to divide the protesters have failed.

Active protesters on and off social media have said unknown numbers have been calling to threaten them to back off.

Moreover, Feminist Coalition, a pro-#EndSARS women group, said its bank account has been deactivated.

“For demanding an end to police brutality we are now under attack,” the group said on Twitter on Tuesday.

Nigerians are, however, speculating that the government in order to mute the campaign may clampdown on social media like its counterparts in other African countries have done in the past.

For instance, Chad shut down the internet in early 2018 despite the international media campaigns against the deliberate clamp down on free speech in the landlocked African country.

“Chad is among the worst states in the world regarding respect of digital rights,” Internet Without Borders said in December 2018.

But Chad is not the only African country where the government’s censorship of digital rights was used to stifle freedom of speech.

Between 2016 and 2018, the authorities in South Sudan, Cameroon, Ethiopia, and Somalia also shut down the internet in their respective countries.

While Zimbabwe, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo have forced internet shutdown in 2019, Tanzania, Uganda, and a host of North African countries have stringent subsisting rules for the use of social media and digital publishing.

Nigeria almost moved in that direction in 2019 as a law that sought to punish individuals behind certain social media posts which was proposed to the Nigerian Senate in 2017 passed first reading.

Massive media backlash prevented lawmakers from passing the bill into law.

Campaigners also argued that the #EndSARS was missing on-trend table on Twitter despite thousands of people tweeting the hashtag.

Some of them said the government may have tampered with the hashtag. That belief led to the birth of #SARSMustEnd.

Paradigm Initiatives media and program manager Adegoke Adeboye said it is not “impossible” for the Nigerian Government to shut down the internet but hoped it will not get to that point.

“The government’s response to the protest has been double-faced, “ Adegoke said.

“While saying all the nice things openly, it is secretly attacking private businesses that have lent their platforms to support the protest.”

He said the clampdown on Flutterwave might be the first step to mute the active participation of citizens in the protest.

“We all know the role that the Internet is playing in the protest and we can already imagine that someone has proposed this to the government,” Adegoke said.

Adegoke further stated that it is better Nigerians are prepared than to be caught unawares.

“In April last year, PIN developed some guidelines to help citizens stay online should the government shut down the internet.”

“The guides are still relevant and we are also working with some of our partners to specifically help Nigerians stay online should the government shut down the internet. The digital rights community are therefore envisaging this already.”

Tags: Adegoke AdeboyeBREAKING NEWSEnd SARSEndSARSINTERNETNigeriaParadigm Initiative NigeriaPINRBEAKINGSARSSARS Must EndSpecial Anti-Robbery Squad
SendShareTweetShare
ReportersAtLarge

ReportersAtLarge

Reporters At Large is the world’s fastest-growing online news platform and public service broadcaster. We’re impartial and independent, and every day we create distinctive, world-class programmes and content which inform, educate and entertain millions of people in Nigeria and around the world.

More

His Majesty Royal Panford
Tourism & Culture

MICE Africa Forum And Expo Ghana 2025 Set To Boost Business Tourism

by ReportersAtLarge
July 14, 2025
0

The Ghana Tourism Authority, MICE Ghana, Women in MICE, Street of Gold Foundation, and MICE Africa are jointly organising the...

Read moreDetails
Africa Business Tourism and MICE Masterclass 2024
Tourism & Culture

2025 Africa Business Tourism And MICE Masterclass To Cultivate Thriving MICE Iindustry Across Africa

by ReportersAtLarge
July 14, 2025
0

Africa Tourism Partners called on all tourism stakeholders to gather in Johannesburg for the 8th and 2025 edition of the...

Read moreDetails
Emirates Airline flight
Tourism & Culture

UAE Imposes Stricter Entry Rules For Nigerians

by ReportersAtLarge
July 9, 2025
0

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed of tougher entry conditions for Nigerian travellers and banned transit visa applications entirely....

Read moreDetails
Load More

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recommended

Ekiti Ayo Arin

Cornfield Group Partners Ekiti To Make Ayo Arin A Global Brand

5 years ago
Bags of cement

JUST IN: Cement Sells For N11,000 In Lagos

1 year ago

Popular News

  • Governor Biodun Oyebanji of Ekiti State

    Why The Symphony Of Endorsements For Governor Oyebanji?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Man Sentenced To 400-Year Imprisonment Found Innocent After 34 Years In Prison, Awarded $1.7m

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Makinde, wife installed as Aare Omoluabi, Yeye Aare Omoluabi Of Akure Kingdom

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Toyin Kolade: Four Wasteful Years As Iyalaje Oodua?

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Kano University Tops The List As JAMB Uncovers Over 9,000 Illegal Admissions In Nigerian Tertiary Institutions

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0

Connect with us

ADVERTISEMENT

About Us

Reporters At Large is the world’s fastest-growing online news platform and public service broadcaster. We’re impartial and independent, and every day we create distinctive, world-class programmes and content which inform, educate and entertain millions of people in Nigeria and around the world.

With a high level of professionalism, fairness, objectivity, accuracy and speed, we publish Breaking News Nigeria Today Headlines and International news on Politics, Tourism and Travel, Entertainment, Sports, Business Lifestyle and Sports.

Category

  • Auto Trend
  • Breaking Bones
  • Business
  • Columns
  • Entertainment
  • Featured
  • For The Record
  • Health
  • Innovation
  • Lifestyle
  • Metro
  • News
  • Opinion
  • People & Events
  • Politics
  • Press Releases
  • Science & Technology
  • Sponsored
  • Sport
  • Tourism & Culture
  • Video
  • Video News
  • WorldNews

Recent Posts

  • Why The Symphony Of Endorsements For Governor Oyebanji? July 19, 2025
  • Man Sentenced To 400-Year Imprisonment Found Innocent After 34 Years In Prison, Awarded $1.7m July 19, 2025
  • Makinde, wife installed as Aare Omoluabi, Yeye Aare Omoluabi Of Akure Kingdom July 18, 2025
  • WAFCON: Super Falcons crush Zambia 5-0 July 18, 2025
  • Toyin Kolade: Four Wasteful Years As Iyalaje Oodua? July 18, 2025
October 2020
SMTWTFS
 123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25262728293031
« Sep   Nov »
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Tourism
  • Lifestyle
  • RAL TV
  • More

© 2016-2024 RAL - Guided by professionalism

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • World
    • For The Record
    • Metro
    • Opinion
    • Press Releases
  • Business
    • Auto Trend
  • Politics
  • Tourism
  • Lifestyle
    • People & Events
    • Health
  • RAL TV
    • Video
    • Video News
  • More
    • Advertisement
    • Privacy
    • Disclaimer
    • Contact Us

© 2016-2024 RAL - Guided by professionalism

Verified by MonsterInsights