On October 3, 2020, operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) allegedly shot a young Nigerian in Ughelli, Delta State, stole his car, and fled the scene. The incident which was captured on video and shared on social media, sparked widespread outrage.
The video showed a bystander calling for attention to the brutality. It quickly went viral on social media and ignited the hashtag #EndSARS movement on Twitter. Although reports later countered the claim that the young man was dead after he was shot, the rage against SARS brutality continued.
The event in Ughelli amplified years of grievances against SARS -a notorious police unit known for its brutality, extortion, and abuse of young Nigerians. As more stories of harassment and violence emerged, the hashtag gained momentum and eventually led to mass protests across the country.
Despite the fact that some people lost their lives, the #EndSARS protests became one of the largest youth-led movements in Nigerian history which gave them the opportunity to demand police reform and justice for victims of police brutality.
Other key events on this day
1. General Motors (GM) issued its 71st recall which affected over 500,000 cars - 2014
2. Japan's maglev train broke world speed record at 280.3 mph - 1997
3. Adolf Hitler said Russia was "broken" and would "never rise again" - 1941
4. Rebecca Felton of Georgia became first woman in Senate - 1922
5. Former football star O.J. Simpson was acquitted of the double murder of his Ex-wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ronald Goldman - 1995
6. "The Guinness Book of Records" debuted - 1995
7. East and West Germany reunited after 45 years - 1990
8. UK tested its first atomic bomb - 1952
9. Italy invaded Ethiopia, starting the Second Italo-Ethiopian War - 1935
10. Princess Alexandra, the Queen's representative, formally opened Nigeria's Independence parliament - 1960.
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