‘Our Experience During The #EndSARS Protests Was A Nightmare’

For many people, the simple way to describe the period of the #EndSARS protests is nightmare, because that was what their neighbourhood were turned into.

This compilation recaps some of those experiences and the lessons it leaves for society both for now and in the future.

Never did I phantom or imagine anything that could ever take security personnel off the streets in a country!

I had received an urgent call that needed me to get to lekki as I was at Badagry.

Surprisingly, right from when I stepped unto the road till I got to my destination, I did ’t find any police man or woman on the way. This got me very scared as I could see at check points were thugs and guys of very scary looks!

Some would shout at bus drivers and conductors to pay a certain amount before they could be allowed to pass.

Also, different trucks loaded with illicit and illegal goods were going to and fro freely, without anyone to stop or question them.

Up until this very moment, I still wonder if my eyes has not deceived me that there were no police on the road when I traveled.

Avonda Richard

In my neighborhood in the Kola area of Alagbado Lagos, it was indeed a nighmare. There were fights and fights and people were ever running for dear lives.  

Not only the expressway to Ijaiye,, my street, the market were all blocked.

We could not get anything from market or even go visit my relative.

We had to look for other alternative of getting foodstuff since we couldn’t get to the market.

There were series of gunshots in the night,, which made me unable to sleep. In my family, we resoted to prayers asking God to end the crisis so that our life would return to normal.

– Osasere Queensley

It was for me a very terrifying moment. My cousin and friends – Adedoyin and Demilade – who stay in Lekki near Shoprite reported hearing gunshots relentlessly even after the protesters had left the tollgate area.

I was badly scared because it was a bloody massacre and it was not clear who and who had been involved. At ikorodu where I reside in the Agric area, the one week which the unrest lasted was a nightmare. There was massive destruction of properties and many police stations leading to the October 20 masacre. Broken bottles littered the streets of Ikorodu right from Mile 12.

Worse, there was nowhere to hide, as we were not allowed to leave home. At home too, terror reigned everywhere.

-Ibukun Akinsanya

Before now Ogba to me was a peaceful environment, but my experience from a ride to Ogba from Berger during the protests was one full of fear. We saw many burnt tires and burnt places, with some young men blocking the road and demanding money before they could open it. Right now, Ogba is a changed place.

– Friday Abasifreke Emmanuel

My experience was a terrible one, One in which I don’t want to ever repeat again. Things were so hard that the normal three square meals became two and sometimes 1 depending.

My mom who is a creche owner had no one bringing in their kids to stay and my Dad who is a business man was hardly making sales.  I couldn’t even understand the online lecture my school was holding for us. There was no data to join the class always. Even when I did, following the lecture was difficult. It was stressful to read the message passed on cause there was so many groups and each of them had about a thousand message. I’m so glad the lockdown has been lifted and things can go back to normal

–Okunoye Marvellous

Though I was indoors for most of the period, but it was truly a nightmare for me, especially from the accounts that I was reading from the social media.

Things were really happening around me that my grandma did not want me to leave the house.  In one instance, she could not help but escort me down to Berger to be able to get to Iyana Ipaja where my parents are. Grandma did not leave the bus stop until our bus moved.

READ ALSO: Has The #EndSARS Protests In Nigeria Changed Anything?

Also, I followed the Lekki shooting on social media and what I saw frightened me. It was indeed a nightmare. I saw a picture of the Nigerian flag smeared with human blood and my exclamation was: “Ah, is this not the blood of Nigerians?”.

-Hafsat Rabiu

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