Nigerians have taken to the social media to condemn the alleged murder of a young man who has been identified as Kolade Johnson.
Kolade was reportedly murdered by FSARS operatives who had reportedly visited his residential area on Sunday afternoon, to arrest one of the boys of a major music producer who was wearing dreadlocks.
Events soon took a drastic turn as the operatives reportedly fired on Kolade, leading to his death before he could receive medical attention.
The incident, which happened around Mangoro/Onipetesi community in Lagos State, led to the blocking of the Oshodi/Abeokuta Expressway as residents protested the murder.
Kolade’s murder came on the heels of the killing of an American rapper Nipsey Hussle, and though Hussle’s murder is also trending on the social media, angry citizens have told the Nigerian media to focus on reporting Police brutality at home, instead of letting the Hussle killing take the shine off Kolade Johnson’s murder.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the F-SARS, even as the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Bala Elkana, told our correspondent that the Command will investigate the matter.
Coming under various trending hashtags that include: Kolade Johnson, #EndSARS #PoliceReforms #EndPolicebrutality and #ReformPoliceNG, the following are some of the things Nigerians on twitter are saying about the Kolade Johnson alleged murder by the operatives of FSARS:
SARS can just decide to walk the streets of this country, kill anybody and get away with it? Are you freaking kidding me? What the hell is going on? How is this a country…that has a government?#endsars #justiceforkola
— Adesua Etomi-Wellington (@AdesuaEtomiW) April 1, 2019
Being young is NOT a crime. Having dreadlocks is NOT a crime.
Sagging your jeans is NOT a crime.
Having tattoos and piercings is NOT a crime.
The big crime is the police harassing and killing the innocent youth they are paid to protect, and nobody stopping them. #EndSARS— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) April 1, 2019
Anytime I’m in Lagos, I try as much as possible to be vigilant.
I can’t wear what I want and my hair
I end up with native & T shirt.
I drive with caution.
My ID with me 24/7
Never arguing with the police
I stay like I’m in a war zone until I leave #EndSARS#EndSARS
— Stan (@TravelBrothers_) April 1, 2019
My heart is heavy..Kolade Johnson, a young Nigerian whose life was cut short allegedly by F-SARS stray bullets while watching a football match yesterday afternoon. There’s no plausible explanation for shooting indiscriminately. #EndSARS, Nigerians deserve a better option, abeg!
— debbie.com.ng (@DebsExtra) April 1, 2019
When and how did we get here? Why kill your fellow man for no reason? A Nigerian laying lifeless bcos a policeman decided.. I am a Nigerian with conscience and I am my brother’s keeper.. #ReformPoliceNG #EndSars @PoliceNG @segalink @glasses_vii @othakiparry @oikotas44 @torti07 pic.twitter.com/v9r6ov2IjG
— Your Village People (@IkAlwayscare) April 1, 2019
While I appreciate the hashtags #EndPolicebrutality as a way of garnering mass movement, the battle to stop this madness goes beyond online noise and by the grace of God we will ensure our voices are heard in the highest places. The murderers of Kolade Johnson won’t go unpunished
— The Godfather (@Ayourb) April 1, 2019
I can’t even contain my anger. Waking up to the news of the death of Kolade Johnson, a young man cut down in his prime by dome trigger-happy half-baked SARS operative.
Question is: who’s next? Who else will go out and not make it back home because of SARS? #ENDSARS pic.twitter.com/dINQdRjIkV
— Aiden, River and Armelle (@BlueZeena) April 1, 2019
Kolade Johnson was gunned down by SARS.. focus on that and stop jumping on foreign death trends.. https://t.co/avDu78fmnL
— 👑JEEZY™ (@rashboy) April 1, 2019
Despite repeated calls from Amnesty International in recent years, the Nigerian justice system has failed to prevent or punish torture. Despite @MBuhari signing into law the Anti-Torture Bill @PoliceNG torture Nigerians with impunity. #EndSARS
— Amnesty Int. Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) April 1, 2019
Nigeria Police that should be protecting people in Zamfara,are busing terrorising innocent boys. The last time they asked SARS to join the fight against Boko haram,they cried that it is unfair because they are not trained. We need to #EndSARS because your brother might be next.
— 👁🗨ᴏᴍᴀsᴏʀᴏ ᴀʟɪ ᴏᴠɪᴇ™ (@ovieali) April 1, 2019