Kolade Johnson looked forward to sharing ‘Happy New Month’ messages today but was allegedly shot by SARS last night. The reactions are heavy but most of all, Nigerian youths are tired.
These days, it doesn’t seem to matter how much you mind your business or how you look, SARS might get the wrong impression and misfire. That’s what allegedly happened to Kolade Johnson who was shot at a football viewing centre.
We mourn with his family and several condolences and tributes have flooded social media. From friends, associates and strangers, heavy hearts are being emptied on the streets of Twitter. check some out.
RIP Kolade Johnson aka KayLow #KLOW aka Don Styles. Just this morning we still spoke about how you want to send money for your Son Jason. Gentle warrior, funny Somebody and a great friend. Your killers won’t go free. #Endsars #EndSARS #EndSACS #EndSAKS #Justice4Kola pic.twitter.com/nfnZo2AeTF
— Yungest godfada (@YGodfada) April 1, 2019
My Kaylo Boy is gone! My 'Lion' … my chef… my precious Kolade Johnson… I'm so sorry it ended this way… I'm sorry i wasn't there to stop the bleeding… I'm sorry the government failed you… I'm sorry 💔#EndSARS pic.twitter.com/N0wsMQrYUK
— Stephañy (@stefanygeorge) March 31, 2019
Deep in between these messages is a loud cry for justice as the Nigerian youth feels unsafe in his motherland. Criminal or no criminal, accidental gunshots abound and SARS may find you when you haven’t committed any crime.
Neccesarily, the #EndSARS campaign is trending again and #EndPoliceBrutality has joined. But are these enough to make you feel safe? How many more Kolade Johnson will go before something is done? We will keep speaking and these tweets echo this.
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
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
Many attempts to reform SARS, including the one ordered by @ProfOsinbajo in August last year have been ineffective. Nigerians are still brutalized by SARS. Restructuring SARS is not enough unless the government takes concrete steps to protect Nigerians.@PoliceNG #EndSARS
— Amnesty Int. Nigeria (@AmnestyNigeria) April 1, 2019
That SARS has been killing more innocent Nigerians, in spite of their excesses being in the know of the Presidency, is scary. It’s not a crime to be a Nigerian, it’s a nationality. #EndPoliceBrutality
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) April 1, 2019
SARs shot an innocent citizen dead yesterday, men of the @PoliceNG who are paid to protect the citizens are the ones oppressing and killing them. Who knows who their next victim will be, add your voice now ✊#ENDSARS #EndSACS #EndSAKS #ENDPOLICEBRUTALITY #ReformPoliceNG pic.twitter.com/meiSxXbgPW
— Oluyemi Fasipe🇳🇬 (@YemieFASH) April 1, 2019
Do you feel safe as a Nigerian youth? What solutions do you proffer? Share your comments below.
In the meantime, enjoy April Fool’s day. Let’s hope this is a bad dream we will wake up from.
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